Massachusetts Man Charged with Cyberstalking and Threats Offenses

BOSTON - A Massachusetts man has been charged with allegedly engaging in an extensive cyberstalking and threatening campaign against three individuals, including sending hundreds of harassing emails and repeatedly threatening to shoot and kill the victims and their family members.

Patrick McDonald, 33, of Cambridge, Mass. was charged by criminal complaint with three counts of cyberstalking and three counts of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. The defendant is currently in state custody and made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston earlier today.

According to the charging documents, McDonald allegedly engaged in an extensive cyberstalking and threatening campaign targeting three individuals following the breakdown of business and investment dealings involving his company, Waev. After the victims allegedly withdrew funding from McDonald and evicted him from a Winchester residence that had been purchased for him to use as a venture studio, McDonald allegedly began inundating the victims with harassing and taunting emails. The campaign allegedly escalated to repeated threats of violence against the victims and their family members, including threats to shoot and kill them unless McDonald was given back the Winchester residence.

McDonald allegedly continued sending threatening communications despite harassment prevention orders prohibiting him from contacting certain victims. Among other things, McDonald allegedly threatened to shoot victims "in the face," threatened to kill a victim's son, sent an email containing a victim's home address and a threat to tear the victim's body apart "limb by limb," and sent images depicting firearms and shootings. Records obtained during the investigation allegedly showed that one email account used in the campaign sent approximately 193 emails to one victim over a seven-day period and approximately 259 emails to the victim's attorney over an 11-day period.

The charge of cyberstalking provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, including a one-year mandatory period of imprisonment for anyone who commits the crime in violation of a restraining order, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, including a one-year mandatory period of imprisonment for anyone who commits the crime in violation of a restraining order, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; and the Boston, Dedham, Malden, Wayland, Somerville, Cambridge and Hingham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.