Cyberstalking case includes alleged victims in Michigan

On behalf of Simon & Geherin, PLLC posted in Internet Crimes on Thursday, May 9, 2013.

In what appears to be a wide-ranging federal investigation into cybercrime, a man has been arrested out-of-state for allegedly victimizing college-aged women in Michigan, including one in Ann Arbor. The man is now facing extortion charges, as well as a cyberstalking charge.According to the reports, the computer crimes went like this: the suspect allegedly hacked at least one victim's Facebook page, downloaded nude photos of the woman that were stored on the site and then contacted the woman via text messages and threatened to send the photos to family and friends unless she sent him more nude photos. Several other women were allegedly victimized in similar ways. One of the victims eventually contacted local police and explained that she had indeed taken nude photos of herself to share with a past boyfriend, and now those photos were reportedly being used against her. At the time of the suspect's arrest there were also apparently eight more women who may have been victimized that authorities were still working to identify.The authorities apparently tracked down the suspect by tracing the Google Voice number he had set up to contact the victims via text message. That account was reportedly set up at his former residence in Massachusetts, and information was forwarded to his cell phone. The suspect was arrested in New York.Because Internet crimes are relatively new in terms of criminal investigations, the defense strategy for suspects charged with crimes like computer fraud and cyberstalking can be difficult to plan. Nonetheless, most of the allegations made in cases like this can lead to serious charges with severe penalties. Coming up with the right criminal defense strategy will have huge implications on present freedom and future opportunities.

If you or a loved one face cyberstalking charges, and want the help of local, experienced and dedicated attorney who specializes in criminal defense in Ann Arbor, please call Dan and his team at GLG Michigan. 

Source: Ann Arbor.com, "Feds accuse man of cyberstalking college students, including Ann Arbor woman," Kyle Feldscher, April 23, 2013