A federal grand jury in Charlotte has indicted two South Carolina residents on charges of extortion, cyberstalking, and wire fraud connected to a scheme that ultimately led to a victim's suicide. Trysten Anthony Cullon, 26, and Jade Ashlynn Stone, 25, are accused of targeting a vulnerable individual in a plea for money that spanned several days, culminating in tragedy. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Dena J. King, alongside FBI's Robert M. DeWitt, provided details of the charges.
According to the indictment, from September 5 to September 8, the accused duo sent multiple harassing and intimidating text messages to the family of C.T., a person with an intellectual disability. The messages demanded money under the threat of releasing embarrassing information to C.T.'s employer. The victim, who was supported by his family due to his classification as Educable Mentally Disabled, worked at a fast-food restaurant and did not live independently. The indictment also states that Cullon and Stone attempted to defraud C.T. by unlawfully transferring funds using his CashApp and PayPal accounts, as well as stealing personal items.
As a direct consequence of the defendants' actions, it is alleged that the victim, identified only as C.T., took his own life. The emotional distress suffered by C.T. due to the extortion scheme was noted in the legal documents as a significant factor in his death. The charges leveled against Cullon and Stone include conspiracy to commit extortion and wire fraud conspiracy, each carrying a potential sentence of 20 years in prison. They are also charged with conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, which could result in five years of incarceration if convicted.
The case, currently awaiting trial, inputs the defendants as presumed innocent until proven guilty, a fundamental principle of the American justice system. The investigations led by the FBI, with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department's assistance, laid the foundation for the indictments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley is assigned the task of prosecuting this case.
