Los Angeles, California - A federal grand jury Friday returned an indictment that charges a Chatsworth man with cyberstalking two sisters by sending them text messages that threatened them with rape and murder.
Alex Scott Roberts, 25, was named in a six-count indictment that outlines a harassment and threat campaign that spanned a three-week period this summer. The indictment charges Roberts with two counts of stalking and four counts of making threats by interstate communications, specifically text messages.
Roberts is currently in state custody serving a sentence resulting from a parole violation. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered Roberts back into custody in September after the FBI executed a federal search warrant related to the cyberstalking case at his residence. Roberts is expect to finish the sentence in the parole violation matter later this month, at which time FBI agents expect to take him into federal custody.
The indictment filed in United States District Court alleges that Roberts, starting in late July and continuing until August 18, used text messages and internet communications to place the two victims “in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury,” and that he intended to cause “substantial emotional distress.”
After being told by Victim 1 and her family that the woman did not want to communicate with Roberts, on July 31 he allegedly created a listing on Craigslist that offered a room for rent at Victim 1’s home and invited prospective renters to “Stop by anytime,” according to the indictment.
On August 2, Roberts allegedly sent anonymous text messages to a friend of Victim 1 that demanded Victim 1’s phone number, threatened to publish nude photographs of Victim 1, and threatened to send someone to rape Victim 1.
The indictment states that, between August 11 and August 18, Roberts sent numerous anonymous text messages to Victim 1 and Victim 2 that include a series of threats, such as, “[S]o I’m outside…I see you guys…payback is a bitch and she gets what she deserves hope you all survive there will be blood.”
Later messages included threats such as, “have either of u been raped I guess you will experience that soon,” and “I have a gun aimed right at both your mom and dad . . . If u don[’]t respond someone will die.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If he was convicted in this case, Roberts would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count in the indictment.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Restrepo of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section.
