The man arrested on suspicion of assaulting or threatening 10 people with a steel chain in downtown Boulder was officially charged in Boulder District Court on Friday.

Joshua David Swartwout, 28, is facing 18 charges, including first-degree assault, eight counts of second-degree assault, four counts of felony menacing, criminal mischief between $1,000 and $2,000, third-degree assault, harassment, second-degree trespassing and two methamphetamine-related charges.

Swartwout was arrested on June 27 in connection with the attacks, and later had his bond set at $200,000. Responding officers found him wearing two chains at the time of his arrest.

Officers were looking for Swartwout as a suspect in a series of attacks with a chain on June 26 around downtown Boulder.

The first report came in at approximately 4 a.m. that day, when a man was taken to the hospital after being assaulted by a man with a chain near Broadway and Arapahoe Avenue, according to Boulder police spokesperson Dionne Waugh.

Waugh stated in arelease that “in some cases, the suspect repeatedly struck victims with the chain; in others, the chain was swung in a threatening manner and hit a vehicle but did not make contact with a person.”

Swartwout previously pleaded guilty to assault, theft, criminal mischief, felony menacing and bond violation charges in 2020 and assault on a peace officer, obstructing, resisting arrest and assault in 2024, all in Boulder County.

He also has two open cases involving trespassing and drug charges in Boulder County.