Related Federal Cases
- Ryan Wesley Routh, Attempted Assassination of President, Fort Pierc… · Washington
- Mary Sosa, Welfare Benefit Fraud, New Hampshire 2024 · New York
- Ryan Freeman, Bank Robbery, NH 2015 · Washington
- Chris Sununu Declares War on Trump’s Grip, Undisclosed, 2024 · Washington
- Amy Evangelista Sentenced to 18 Months for Tax Evasion, Lathrop CA,… · Virginia
Defendant Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Computer Hacking and Sextortion Scheme
A New Hampshire man was sentenced to 96 months in prison for remotely hacking into the online accounts of dozens of teenaged female victims and sending them threatening online communications, in some instances containing sexually explicit photos, in order to force the victims to send him sexually explicit photos of themselves.
Ryan J. Vallee, 23, formerly of Laconia, New Hampshire, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro of the District of New Hampshire. Vallee pleaded guilty on Aug. 25, 2016, to a 31-count superseding indictment charging him with 13 counts of making interstate threats, one count of computer hacking to steal information, eight counts of computer hacking to extort, eight counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of cyberstalking.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea and evidence presented at sentencing, from 2011 through March 2016, Vallee, using various aliases that included “Seth Williams” and “James McRow,” engaged in a computer hacking and “sextortion” campaign designed to force dozens of teenaged victims – many of which he personally knew – to provide him with sexually explicit photographs of themselves and others.
Vallee employed a variety of techniques to force his victims to cede to his “sextortionate” demands. For example, according to the plea agreement, he repeatedly hacked into and took control over the victims’ online accounts, including their email, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Once he had control of these accounts, Vallee locked the victims out of their own accounts and, in some cases, defaced the contents of the accounts, he admitted.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Belmont Police Department. Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen of the District of New Hampshire prosecuted the case.
The names of the victims are being withheld from the public to protect their privacy. Vallee has remained in custody since his re-arrest on March 16, 2016, while awaiting trial on new criminal charges.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Emily Rice of the District of New Hampshire and Resident Agent in Charge Tim Benitez of the U.S. Secret Service’s Manchester, New Hampshire, Field Office made the announcement.
Key Facts
- State: New Hampshire
- Category: Cybercrime|Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
