Virginia Man 'Sextorted,' Cyberstalked Young Delco Woman: Feds

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — A Virginia man has been hit with federal charges after authorities said he stalked a Delaware County woman online and tried to extort her for sexual content.

First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said Friday that Terrell Ashby, 22, of Williamsburg, Virginia, was arrested and charged for allegedly cyberstalking a 20-year-old Delaware County woman in connection with a “sextortion” scheme.

In August, Ashby used a social-media platform to contact the victim, and using the online moniker "Jason Brandon" sent a message to the victim offering her a large sum of money and enticing her to communicate with him on another electronic messaging application.

The victim agreed and subsequently engaged in a nude video chat with the defendant.

Unbeknownst to the victim, Ashby recorded portions of their video chat, and subsequently sent her multiple messages demanding $40 in exchange for deleting a nude photo he had captured of her. Specifically, he wrote, in part, "When you send the $40 I will delete your nudes offline" and "Just send the $40 and you’re good lol[.] We aren’t good until you send the $40[,] simply send the $40 and I’ll delete it[.]" The victim then paid the $40 by transferring money via an online payment platform to an account provided by Ashby.

However, that was not the end of Ashby’s alleged abuse of the victim, authorities said.

Ashby is accused of also sending the victim more messages demanding all the money in her bank account and threatened to disseminate the nude photos of the victim to her college and other social media friends and followers if she did not pay him more money.

For example, Ashby wrote, in part: "Your expose page is being created right now and I’m also going to tag your college[.] I’ll end you[.] I’m not someone you want to [expletive] with[,] go tell your father that… Just [sent] your nudes to [name redacted][.] Already exposed you whore[.] Your life is over[.] You’re dumb if you thought this was over its not over until my $134 is sent[.] I’ll make sure our whole school sees your nudes[.]"

Authorities said subsequently the victim became distraught and ingested a number of prescription pills in an attempt to calm her emotional distress. She was taken to a hospital and ultimately recovered. Though authorities said while she was hospitalized Ashby started advertising nude photos of the victim using various online accounts.

For example, Ashby is accused of posting a photo of the victim on a social-media platform, using an account named “[name redacted]sextape” with the following caption: “Everyone [message] me to see [the victim] nudes … she [video chatted] me naked I have the full [video chat] call saved [message] me to see everyone."

Ashby was arrested at his residence in Virginia Friday morning and is expected to appear before a magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Virginia.

If convicted, Ashby faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Philadelphia FBI, as well as the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia.