YOUNGSTOWN — In a surprise move, court officials have scheduled a 1 p.m. Jan. 8 hearing in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for David Dorbish Jr., 17, to enter a guilty plea in his “swatting” case.

Dorbish is charged with 27 offenses related to making hoax telephone calls to communities in six states that brought out law enforcement, such as a SWAT team, for what they believed was a major incident. His charges could produce more than 15 years in prison.

Judge Theresa Dellick of Mahoning County Juvenile Court ruled earlier that Dorbish would be tried as an adult.

It’s unknown what type of plea agreement may have been reached. Michael Rich, the assistant county prosecutor working on the case, could not be reached for clarification.

Dorbish is accused of calling in threats over a computer to communities in Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Florida, California and New Jersey.

Authorities in those states agreed to have the charges prosecuted in Mahoning County. There were 149 charges filed in Mahoning County Juvenile Court, but a Mahoning County grand jury indicted him on 27.

They are six counts of making a terroristic threat, six counts of making false alarms, four of unlawful possession or use of a hoax weapon of mass destruction, two of identity fraud, six of possessing criminal tools and three of misdemeanor telecommunications harassment.

Thursday’s pretrial hearing was the first one in his case. It’s rare for a resolution to be reached that early in a felony criminal case.

Dorbish made his first court appearance in adult court when he was arraigned Dec. 3. His attorney, Mark Lavelle, asked Judge John Durkin for permission Dec. 6 to hire a consulting investigation expert, and Durkin approved the request Dec. 11.

Dorbish is being detained in the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center in lieu of $100,000 bond.

erunyan@tribtoday.com