A Missouri woman pleaded guilty on Aug. 6 to using the internet to stalk and threaten a victim in Kansas with rape and murder. Julianne Grace Willis, 26, of Independence, Missouri, admitted to one count of cyberstalking in federal court.
According to court documents, the case began in October 2022 when a victim in Ulysses, Kansas, discovered that a minor relative had received demeaning instant messages on a Roblox account from someone claiming to be a 24-year-old man named Chris. After blocking the account, the victim was subjected to ongoing harassment through phone calls, text messages, and social media messages containing threats against both the victim and their family. The Federal Bureau of Investigation traced the activity back to Willis.
The harassment escalated as Willis created a fake dating profile that resulted in men arriving at the victim’s home expecting romantic encounters. She also called the victim’s workplace with derogatory statements, prompting the victim to change jobs. Additionally, Willis sent communications accusing infidelity to members of the victim’s family.
Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge, said: “The victim in this case endured a sustained and deliberate campaign of harassment by the defendant, whose repeated actions caused significant disruption to the victim’s daily life and well-being of their family. This conduct had a profound and lasting impact on the victim’s sense of security and quality of life. The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting victims, aggressively investigating those who engage in criminal harassment, and holding offenders accountable under the law.”
Willis is scheduled for sentencing on November 4. A federal district court judge will determine her sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation into this case while Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting it. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas advances justice through federal law enforcement efforts across areas including Wichita where this prosecution takes place; it provides services such as civil rights enforcement and collaborates with community wellness initiatives, according to the official website.