A Maryland man has been sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in prison for systematically cyberstalking several victims in Virginia.
NORFOLK, Va. – Joseph Bourabah, 27, of North Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced on June 7 to 8 years and 4 months in prison for relentlessly cyberstalking several victims for approximately a year and a half.
According to court documents, Bourabah harassed and stalked multiple victims from September 2021 until February 2023. The defendant’s cyberstalking campaign was relentless and extended to the victims’ family members, tenants, and even former employers. The harassment involved hundreds of incidents, including fake Craigslist ads, Facebook postings, events on Eventbrite, and the hiring of unwanted services.
Bourabah targeted one victim, sharing pornographic content of the victim on Facebook and spreading false accusations about the victim in September 2021. He also sent pornographic videos of the victim to the victim’s family members and friends in October and November 2021.
The defendant emailed the victim on various occasions from November 2021 to October 2022, including an email with a link to a pornographic website where Bourabah had posted videos of the victim along with the victim’s true name and former employers.
Bourabah also targeted the victim’s mother, posting pornographic videos on her social media feeds. He created a Craigslist post advertising her pet ducks for free, resulting in the pets being taken, and another ad listing her trampoline for free, resulting in the trampoline being taken from her home when she was not there.
Bourabah created a fake ad on Craigslist to advertise another victim’s car as available for free and attempted to have the car towed. In January 2023, he advertised a party titled “[victim’s name] Pedo Kink Party” and used a picture of the victim and the victim’s home address.
The defendant also harassed the victim’s mother through ads on Craigslist that included a Halloween costume party, a New Years Eve party, and an open house event. He ordered unsolicited services to her residence, including tree cutting, carpet cleaning, junk removal, and towing. Bourabah attempted five times to have her vehicle towed, and on one occasion the tow driver removed a barricade from the driveway and placed the vehicle on the tow truck.
Bourabah also harassed the tenants in her rental properties.
Judge John A. Gibney Jr. sentenced Bourabah to 8 years and 4 months in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Heck and Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-37.
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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