Caleb Bonnell, 20, of Bringhurst, Indiana, was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to cyberstalking, according to a Dec. 10 announcement from United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco issued the sentence following Bonnell’s admission of using various electronic devices between September and December 2025 to harass and intimidate a victim and the victim’s family member. The court heard that Bonnell sent hundreds of unwanted text messages, emailed the victim’s school several times, sent over seventy social media messages to the victim’s classmates, made a threatening statement about the victim on an online application, and engaged in “swatting” by making false reports that led law enforcement officers to dispatch to the victim’s home.
U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred said, “The Defendant terrorized the victim and the victim’s family member using cyberstalking and swatting, which are abuses of human beings through the use of technology. The Defendant will spend some time in jail to think about his vicious choices.” Mildred added that technology has great potential but was used here for “deplorable means,” crediting combined efforts from federal investigators and local police for bringing about justice.
FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley said, “Technology has made it easier for criminals to target victims, but it has not changed the serious consequences of these crimes. Cyberstalking and swatting are dangerous offenses that can terrorize victims, strain public safety resources, and place both innocent people and responding officers at unnecessary risk. The FBI is committed to investigating these crimes and ensuring those who use the internet to threaten or intimidate others are brought to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Carroll County Police Department and San Diego Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius prosecuted.