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St. Louis Man Indicted on Cyberstalking Charges
A 53-year-old man from St. Louis, Missouri, has been accused of threatening or cyberstalking five people since October, according to a federal indictment.
Robert Merkle, 53, was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on three cyberstalking charges and two counts of transmitting a threat. Each charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.
The indictment accuses Merkle of threatening or harassing four people in January and one person in October.
A motion seeking to have Merkle held in jail pending trial says that beginning in the summer of 2021, Merkle began harassing women online and via text messages. He sent text messages to women in Missouri and elsewhere containing rape threats, the motion says.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Town and Country Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Merkle’s case is a stark reminder of the dangers of cyberstalking and the importance of taking these crimes seriously.
The investigation and prosecution of Merkle’s case are ongoing. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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