A Durham man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for cyberstalking gay men in the Raleigh-Durham area. David Ryan Winters, 40, pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II.
Court documents revealed that Winters targeted gay men online and in person for nearly a decade, beginning around 2016. He sent angry messages after obtaining personal information about his victims and showed up at their homes, sending them photos of their residences. According to prosecutors, Winters threatened to kill specific individuals as well as gay men generally, referencing the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida and stating he wanted to make national headlines.
Winters's actions included visiting one victim’s workplace, breaking a window, and throwing a metal trashcan onto the victim’s car. The harassment campaign caused fear among many victims, some of whom moved or took other measures for safety.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the sentencing following an investigation led by the FBI and Raleigh Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel prosecuted the case.
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