A former Virginia college student and federal prosecutors have reached a plea deal after he was accused of reporting false bomb threats and active shootings, a potentially dangerous hoax known as “swatting,” in coordination with a nationwide ring of white supremacists.

The former student, John William Kirby Kelley, has signed the plea agreement and has a hearing scheduled for May 8, according to a court document filed Saturday. He was arrested in January on a charge of conspiring to make threats to injure, according to The Associated Press.

A representative for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said the agreement had “not yet been entered into the public record” and declined to comment further.

Image John William Kirby Kelley Credit... Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, via Associated Press

Lawyers for Mr. Kelley declined to comment on Monday.

The authorities arrested Mr. Kelley earlier this year in connection with the swatting ring, which investigators said used the dark web and masking technology to conceal their IP addresses and phone numbers. He has yet to be indicted on charges related to what the authorities say was a plot to make and videotape swatting calls to the police, according to The A.P.