A man charged in a Federal Court cyberstalking case has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and a $7,500 fine.
Zachary Hood, 36, appeared before Judge Charles E. Atchley, Jr.
Prosecutors said Hood engaged in cyberstalking by sending embarrassing photos to a woman and her husband as well as sending intimate photos of eight other women to them while making it appear it was from the unnamed female victim.
Prosecutors said that Hood on Oct.
16, 2017, set up a Facebook profile with the female victim's name and containing profile photos of her. It included a cover photo of her as well as a profile picture showing a close up of her face.
They said the female victim, who lives outside of Tennessee, initially was unaware of this Facebook page.
Sometime prior to setting up the page Hood had obtained intimate photos of the female victim on her wedding day, showing her bare breasts and buttocks, it was stated.
Prosecutors said Hood, while at a hotel in East Tennessee, contacted friends and associates of the victim and shared the embarrassing Facebook page with them. He made it appear that it was the female victim who was contacting them.
Hood, pretending to be the female victim, asked a Facebook "friend" if they liked the photos. When the friend expressed confusion and concern, Hood (acting as the victim) said she had not been hacked and just wanted to share the photos. When the friend still expressed concern, Hood, acting as the victim, told the friend to not tell anyone and to "pretend this never happened."
Prosecutors said Hood also made the husband aware of the Facebook page with the embarrassing pictures and made lewd and suggestive comments about his wife's appearance on their wedding day.
Hood also contacted eight other women who are unaffiliated with the female victim. He had acquired intimate photos of each. He sent each woman intimate photos and made it appear they were coming from the female victim.
Hood admitted that the photos were intended to cause severe emotional distress to the female victim and her husband.
Following his imprisonment, Hood will be on supervised release for three years.
“Cyberstalking is a serious crime that can inflict lasting harm on its victims,” said United
States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to
working with its law enforcement partners to combat the growing trend of digital harassment.
As this sentence demonstrates, those who go online to threaten, intimidate, or harass others face
real-world consequences, including federal prison time. Cyberstalking simply has no place in
today’s society.”
“This kind of behavior is not a prank, it's disruptive to the victims and their families, and
those who think they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet should think again,” said
Joseph E. Carrico, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI Knoxville Office. “The FBI along with
our local, state, and federal partners stand steadfast in our resolve to investigate, arrest, and
prosecute those who commit these horrendous personal acts.”
“The internet can seem like a modern day Wild West, where criminals roam free and are
not held accountable for committing crimes,” said Assistant Director in Charge Michael J.
Driscoll for the FBI New York Office. “Setting up a fake Facebook account and sending
intimate photos of someone to their friends without their consent is illegal, and now Mr. Hood
has to answer for his actions. Many people don’t report these types of crimes because they don’t
think anything will be done to the perpetrator. We hope this case proves when people break
federal laws they will face federal justice.”
Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Wilson, the District’s Computer Hacking and
Intellectual Property Crimes Coordinator, represented the United States in court.