In a straightforward case of relentless online harassment, Michael Jameson Chand, a 32-year-old resident of Sacramento County, admitted to charges of cyberstalking. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Chand used multiple devices and social media to inflict distress on his victim, known as Jane Doe, deliberately aiming to intimidate her. This is not the first time Chand has targeted Doe; in 2017, he was convicted for soliciting sexual material from her when she was just 15 years old.
While still under the watchful eye of parole, Chand began to again obsessively target Doe, this time escalating his harassment online. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, in a span of four months, he called Doe approximately 176 times, leaving 63 voicemails laced with threats and insults. Additionally, using an alias, Chand wrote a Facebook post falsely accusing Doe of dating a murderer and claiming she needed to be institutionalized—further attempting to smear her reputation and amplify her emotional anguish.
Chand's repeated offenses demonstrate a clear pattern of abuse. In one egregious act, he published Doe's full name and birthplace online, alongside a personal photograph, coupled with the false and serious allegation that she had killed her ex-boyfriend. In another post, Chand again targeted Doe's character and her role as a mother, fabricating claims that she was planning to expose her child to danger. This behavior not only crossed personal boundaries but also potentially placed Doe and her family in real-world peril.
The joint efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Task Force culminated in Chand's guilty plea. As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, prosecutors Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian T. Kinsella and Christina McCall, led the charge against Chand's cyberstalking offenses. He is now awaiting sentencing on January 7, 2025, where he could receive up to five years in prison and face a fine of as much as $250,000. The court will tailor the final sentence to account for a range of statutory factors and application of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
