James S. Allen, Cyberstalking & Child Pornography, New York 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y.– A federal grand jury has indicted James S. Allen, 36, of New Baltimore, MI, on 18 counts of cyberstalking and five counts of production of child pornography. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr.

The production of child pornography charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine for each count. The cyberstalking charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango stated that according to the indictment, between April and August of 2012, the defendant utilized the internet and text messages to stalk, communicate with, and threaten 18 female victims in the Western District of New York, many of them minors, in an effort to obtain pornographic pictures of the minors.

The defendant then seized control of the victim’s e-mail accounts, contacted the victims, and threatened that if they did not engage in a Skype video chat with him, he would distribute naked photos of the victims over the internet. Once a victim and the defendant logged onto Skype (the defendant utilized the screen name “shhh.shhh”), Allen demanded that the victims take their clothes off and engage in sexual conduct, with the further threat that naked pictures of them would be sent out to all of Western New York if the girl did not comply.

As a result of the defendant’s repeated and sustained harassment of the victims, many victims suffered substantial emotional distress. U.S. Attorney Hochul stated that “It is appropriate that the grand jury returned this case in January, which is National Stalking Awareness Month. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in late 2011, 6.6 million people were stalked in a 12-month period and 1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men were stalked at some point in their lifetime.”

James S. Allen faces up to 35 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango.

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