A 21-year-old man from New Hampshire has been charged with computer hacking and cyberstalking in a sextortion scheme targeting minors.
Ryan J. Vallee, 21, of Franklin, New Hampshire, was charged by indictment with 10 counts of making interstate threats, two counts of computer hacking to steal information, seven counts of computer hacking to extort and seven counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, from 2012 through November 2013, Vallee, using various aliases that included “Seth Williams” and “James McRow,” engaged in a computer hacking and “sextortion” campaign designed to coerce numerous minor females to provide him with sexually explicit photographs of themselves.
He allegedly hacked into and took control of the girls’ online accounts – including their e-mail, Facebook and Instagram accounts – and threatened to delete the accounts, and defaced the contents of some of the accounts. Vallee also allegedly hacked into the girls’ Amazon.com accounts and, using their stored payment card information and shipping addresses, ordered items of a sexual nature and had them shipped to the girls’ homes.
The indictment alleges that, in conjunction with his harassment campaign, Vallee sent communications to his victims, usually using a text message spoofing or anonymizing service, threatening to continue his attacks unless the victims provided sexually explicit photographs of themselves.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, with substantial assistance from the Belmont, New Hampshire, Police Department.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Ryan J. Vallee is scheduled to make his initial appearance today at 4:30 p.m. EDT in the District of New Hampshire.
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Key Facts
- State: New Hampshire
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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