Teenager pleads guilty to sending Epic staff death threats: 'I intended for the messages to be viewed as a threat'

A teenager from South Dakota has changed his plea to guilty over threatening messages sent to developers at Epic Games in relation to Fortnite (thanks, Gamespot). Jayden Griffin, who is 19 years of age, was indicted by a grand jury in December 2024 over electronic communications sent to Epic Games staff between October 24, 2024, and November 9, 2024.

Griffin pleaded guilty to "threatening interstate commerce", a charge brought because Epic Games is headquartered in North Carolina, and could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in federal prison, fined up to $250,000, or a combination of the two. Even should he avoid jail or get a minimal sentence, he faces up to three years of supervised release. Those are some potentially life-changing penalties, and should certainly give a certain breed of keyboard warrior pause for thought.

A court document filed on September 16, 2025, contains the following statement from Griffin: "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."

In a hearing on September 29 at the US District Court of South Dakota, Griffin entered a guilty plea. He had previously entered a not guilty plea in a January 2025 hearing. The court document reads:

"The Court finds 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."

Griffin will be sentenced at a later date. Epic Games declined to comment.

This case is the latest example of game studios, quite rightly, taking more aggressive action against people who harass or threaten their staff. Bungie has been especially forward in this, pursuing certain individuals relentlessly and winning some big judgements.