BOSTON – The Department of Justice says James Florence Jr. of Plymouth has been sentenced to nine years in prison in a cyberstalking case.
The DOJ says Florence stalked over a dozen Massachusetts women over a period of 16 years, engaging in “elaborate online harassment campaigns that targeted and tormented women he knew personally. Among other things, the defendant hacked into victims’ personal accounts and used over 60 accounts across nearly 30 platforms to relentlessly impersonate, intimidate and abuse them.”
Prosecutors say Florence created fake social media accounts to impersonate the victims and posted AI-generated images.
“This was not internet trolling. It was psychological torture – sustained, targeted, and deeply personal,” said United States Attorney Leah Foley.
According to the DOJ, Florence used his expertise to employ several techniques to hide his online identity and criminal activities. He was an Information Technology professional who had worked for 10 years at MIT Lincoln Laboratory.
If you or someone you know is a cyberstalking victim, the federal government says you can visit this website.
By Jim McCabe, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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