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Cyberstalker Sentenced to Justice
A Seattle man has pleaded guilty to conducting a cyberstalking campaign against multiple Washington residents, leaving his victims in a state of fear and anguish.
Joel Kurzynski, 38, a former Information Technology professional, was charged with two counts of cyberstalking and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Washington. According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Kurzynski engaged in an extensive and rapidly escalating cyberstalking campaign that targeted two individuals known to him.
The online campaign involved death threats, body shaming, and hate speech, with Kurzynski orchestrating numerous spam phone calls, fake dating profiles, and anonymous death threats. He even impersonated a journalist, contacting one of the victims with a fabricated article levying sexual misconduct allegations.
One of the victims, known as Victim 1, received solicitations and harassing messages from multiple strangers after Kurzynski created fake dating profiles containing photographs of Victim 1 and his contact information. Kurzynski also sent death threats, including one that read, “faggot. Time to die.”
The other victim, known as Victim 2, received a wave of calls and emails from weight loss and suicide prevention programs after Kurzynski registered her for numerous programs. He soon started sending anonymous death threats, referencing Victim 2’s work address and even claiming he was waiting for her in the lobby.
“Joel Kurzynski’s guilty plea demonstrates that conduct occurring online can cause victims serious harm and anguish offline,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski. “While this prosecution cannot undo the damage this defendant inflicted, it sends a clear message that we are committed to protecting the public and aggressively pursuing malicious actors who hide behind the anonymity of the Internet.”
Kurzynski’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 7 before Senior U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik. The U.S. Secret Service’s Seattle Field Office investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Seattle Police Department and King County Prosecutor’s Office. Trial Attorney Frank Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis Franze-Nakamura of the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
Victims of cyberstalking campaigns such as this often may be hesitant to come forward. The Justice Department encourages individuals who may be the victims of similar schemes to contact their local law enforcement agencies to report this conduct.
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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