A Chicago man has pleaded guilty to a string of cyberstalking and sextortion charges, including the targeting of young gay men on Grindr and other online sites.
Omoruyi O. Uwadiae, 28, of Chicago, offered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court today to 22 total counts, including eight counts of cyberstalking, seven counts of making interstate communications with the intent to extort, and seven counts of unlawfully using a means of identification.
According to his plea documents, Uwadiae admitted to obtaining sexually explicit photographs and videos from potential victims and then using the content to threaten them. He demanded money from some victims, while others were forced to meet him, have sex with him, or make damaging admissions, such as admitting to being racist.
Uwadiae carried through with his threats on multiple occasions, sending explicit material to victims’ friends, family members, employers, and acquaintances, and posting it widely on the internet. He also created false social media accounts using true photos of his victims, stating they were gay, and posted personal information about them online.
One victim, a student at The Ohio State University, was forced to pay Uwadiae $200 or have sex with him. When the victim did not comply, Uwadiae created a false social media account using the victim’s photos, stating, “this guy is gay, see pics for evidence.” The victim had not disclosed his sexual orientation to his family and was concerned that they would react negatively if they learned he was bisexual.
Uwadiae was charged in the Southern District of Ohio in April by a bill of information. He will be sentenced at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The maximum statutory sentences for the charges range from two to five years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Columbus Division of Police. Uwadiae’s guilty plea was announced by Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill, who are representing the United States in this case.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentences, but the actual sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Uwadiae’s sentence will be determined at a future hearing.
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