US man busted for cyberstalking, sending threatening messages to his boss

Court documents say Robinson worked at a Fresno-based health management company as a systems engineer. After the business fired him, Robinson began sending threatening messages to his former supervisor and other co-workers in an attempt to extort them for money. — Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

A former Fresno worker who got fired then sent threatening messages and cyberstalked his old boss is now facing prison time plus a hefty fine.

United States Attorney Phillip Talbert announced Tuesday that William Lee Robinson, 43, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to five counts of sending threatening interstate communications and three counts of cyberstalking.

Court documents say Robinson worked at Fresno-based health management company O.A.I. as a systems engineer from June 14 to Nov 28, 2017.

After the business fired him, Robinson began sending threatening messages to his former supervisor and other co-workers in an attempt to extort them for money.

The threats included graphic statements threatening to physically harm co-workers and a former supervisor’s daughter. Robinson made the threats because he wanted the company to pay him between US$10,000 (RM47,265) and US$20,000 (RM94,530) to cover the cost of relocating to a different city, the documents say.

US District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston is scheduled to sentence Robinson on Feb 12, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a US$250,000 (RM1.17mil) fine for each of the five counts of sending threatening communications. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a US$250,000 (RM1.17mil) fine for each of the cyberstalking counts.

Talbert’s office noted the actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court. – The Fresno Bee/Tribune News Service