Bozeman Man Admits to Racially-Charged Cyberstalking

MISSOULA, MT – A chilling case of online harassment culminated yesterday with Rex Wu, Jr., 23, of Bozeman, admitting guilt to one count of cyberstalking. The admission comes after a year-long investigation sparked by a barrage of menacing emails directed at a student at Montana State University. Wu now faces the very real possibility of a lengthy federal prison sentence.

According to court documents, the Montana State University Police Department first flagged the case to the FBI in February 2023. The student reported receiving a relentless stream of harassing and, crucially, threatening communications. These weren’t simple annoyances; the emails were laced with racial animus and contained explicit threats to not only harm the student but also other members of the campus organization she belonged to. The source of the vitriol was initially obscured, with the messages originating from multiple accounts, including those designed to mask the sender’s identity.

Federal investigators, however, are rarely deterred by digital obfuscation. The FBI, working alongside MSU Campus Police, painstakingly traced the digital breadcrumbs. A key break in the case came with the identification of an IP address linked to an apartment in Bozeman. Further digging uncovered online donation records and a network of Gmail accounts, all converging on Wu as the likely perpetrator. The digital trail wasn’t enough, though. Agents needed a confession.

On February 27, 2025, FBI agents confronted Wu in Bozeman. Faced with the mounting evidence, Wu reportedly admitted to sending “several” of the harassing emails to the MSU student. The extent of his digital campaign of terror will likely be detailed further at sentencing. While Wu was released on conditions pending further proceedings, his freedom is far from assured.

Wu now stares down the barrel of up to 5 years in federal prison, a potential $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will ultimately determine his fate on November 6, 2025, after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Starnes skillfully prosecuted the case, bringing a dangerous online predator to justice.

This case serves as a stark reminder that online threats are not victimless crimes. The FBI and local law enforcement are increasingly focused on tracking down and prosecuting individuals who use the internet to stalk, harass, and intimidate. For the MSU student targeted by Wu, the ordeal is hopefully drawing to a close. But the scars of such a sustained attack can run deep. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing in November.