James Florence Jr., Cyberstalking, Massachusetts 2024

BOSTON – A Plymouth, Mass. man was arrested today for allegedly cyberstalking a Massachusetts victim through social media, email, and various online platforms.

James Florence Jr., 36, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of cyberstalking. Florence was arrested this morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Sept. 16, 2024.

According to the charging documents, between late 2017 and up until the present, Florence is alleged to have created multiple social media accounts and email addresses which he used to harass and threaten the victim anonymously.

Florence had previously met the victim through a mutual friend and attended parties at the victim’s former residence between 2015 and 2017.

It is alleged that, beginning in late 2017, Florence used anonymous social media accounts to post photographs of the victim and photographs of her underwear, which had been taken in her former residence, on various websites.

Florence allegedly posted digitally altered images depicting the victim as nude or semi-nude. He allegedly posted the victim’s personally identifiable information on these accounts and on numerous websites – including her personal email addresses, home address, professional contact information, account passwords and even a list of colors she had previously dyed her hair, in order to “dox” her.

Florence would taunt the victim by creating accounts in her name, using her likeness and tagging them with phrases like “Accept It Your Exposure Is Permanent Slut” and “Enjoy Your Exposure You Naughty Bimbo. You Belong To The Internet.”

“The defendant’s alleged actions represent a chilling window into the dangers of online harassment and cyberstalking in the digital age. Using technology to manipulate, torment, and publicly humiliate someone for years is not just reprehensible, it is criminal. No one should have to endure the kind of relentless harassment and devastating psychological toll that we allege this victim has bravely endured,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

“Our office is dedicated to ensuring that individuals who exploit online platforms to stalk, harass, and exploit others are held accountable. We will continue to use every resource available to protect victims of these crimes and to bring justice to those who abuse the digital landscape for their own malicious purposes,” added Levy.

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