EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU)— A Schuylkill County man has been sentenced for cyberstalking.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said on Tuesday that 45-year-old Aaron Vandaley from Pottsville was sentenced to 78 months in prison for cyberstalking.
According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vandaley intentionally harassed and scared people using electronic communication devices and services across state borders to cause emotional distress to six victims. The victims involved were all past romantic partners or relatives
and friends of his former romantic partners, said attorney Karam.
Attorney Karam mentioned Vandaley made up accusations to law enforcement agencies around the country while also falsely accusing the six victims of murder-for-hire, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and sexual offenses.
He would send out anonymous messages threatening to kidnap and murder the child of one of the victims and mail their parts back to them, said attorney Karam.
All of these crimes were being committed while the six victims had a protection from abuse order against him, as noted by attorney Karam.
Attorney Karam said Vandaley has eight previous convictions for failing to obey his court order of protection and while pending the sentencing he has attempted contact at least one of the victims 100 times by phone while in jail.
U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Vandaley to over six years in prison and as part of the sentence he is not allowed to contact any of his victims.
