A South Dakota teenager has admitted guilt to sending death threats to developers at Epic Games, the creators of the hit game Fortnite.
Nineteen-year-old Jayden Griffin pleaded guilty to “threatening interstate commerce.” He could face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, in addition to up to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, a US Grand Jury indicted Griffin in December 2024. The charges stemmed from threatening electronic messages sent to individuals at Epic Games between October 24, 2024, and November 9, 2024. The grand jury highlighted a violation of federal law, emphasizing the interstate nature of the crime since Epic Games is based in North Carolina, where the threats were received.
In a court document filed on September 16 of this year, Griffin stated, “I sent messages to Epic Games, where I threatened to kill employees of the company. I intended for the messages to be viewed as a threat at the time that I sent the messages.”
Griffin’s hearing in the US District Court of South Dakota, Western Division, on September 29, concluded with him entering a guilty plea. This change of heart came after he initially pleaded not guilty in January 2025.
The court’s findings confirmed that “the defendant is competent and capable of entering an informed plea, is aware of the nature of the charges and consequences of the plea, that the plea is knowing and voluntary and is supported by an independent basis in fact containing each of the essential elements of the offense and orders that the defendant shall be adjudged guilty of the offense.”
Local news outlets have indicated that the date for Griffin’s next court appearance is still pending. GameSpot reached out to Epic Games for a statement on the matter.