Herman Calvin Brightman, a New Jersey resident, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for stalking and assaulting multiple women. Brightman had met these women online and posed as a nurse to gain their trust. He previously pled guilty to charges including traveling interstate to commit a crime of violence and sending interstate threats, and his sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky commented on the case, saying, “Herman Brightman preyed on women he met through online dating websites. By posing as a nurse, Brightman earned the trust of his victims, and then stalked, assaulted, and threatened them. With today's lengthy prison sentence, Brightman can no longer inflict pain or fear in his victims. I commend the brave women who spoke out against Brightman to ensure that he was held accountable for his crimes.”
According to allegations and public records, Brightman used social media platforms and dating applications from January 2022 to September 2023 to meet women under false pretenses. He utilized aliases and impersonated a nurse to generate credibility, even sending photos of himself in medical attire.
Incidents highlighted in court documents include the July 2022 event where Brightman traveled to the Bronx with a knife, forcing a victim and her child to his New Jersey residence until they managed to alert police. Another notable case involved an August 2023 attack in Queens where Brightman threatened and physically restrained another woman he had been dating. He made numerous phone calls to her following their breakup, continuing his threats.
Additionally, in September 2023, Brightman lured another woman into his car in the Bronx, assaulted her, and chased her when she attempted escape. He later assaulted this victim again at a bus stop.
Later in the same month, Brightman assaulted and strangled a fourth victim in her Bronx home, leaving her injured. This victim was able to contact a friend for help.
In addition to his prison term, Brightman will undergo three years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Podolsky identified the New York City Police Department's significant contributions to the investigation, which was handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ni Qian, Patrick Moroney, and Elizabeth Daniels led the prosecution.
