Federal agents say a years-long stream of disturbing emails aimed at an Ithaca, New York church has landed a former Cornell University Ph.D. student in serious trouble.
Phillip Benjamin Bonneville, 30, of Macomb, Michigan, has been charged in federal court with cyberstalking after what investigators describe as an escalating pattern of harassing and threatening messages directed at the church’s pastor and two female congregants. A federal complaint, unsealed June 26, details language that church leaders found alarming enough to bring in the FBI.
What the FBI Says Happened
According to ClickOnDetroit, the case first hit federal radar in June 2025, when the pastor of the Ithaca church reported repeated harassing emails. The federal complaint alleges Bonneville used multiple email accounts to contact church leaders, was eventually banned from the church for harassment, and still kept sending messages to his alleged victims through at least June 17.
The Cyberstalking Charge and Possible Penalties
Bonneville is charged with cyberstalking under federal law. According to a Department of Justice description of the statute, a cyberstalking conviction can carry up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors in these kinds of cases typically lean on email records, digital device logs, and travel data to connect online threats to real-world conduct.
Alleged Threats, Travel Trail and Key Dates
The complaint lays out a detailed timeline. One woman told investigators Bonneville sent her more than 130 emails starting in May 2022 and later texted that “the devil told him” to kill her, according to ClickOnDetroit. Federal agents say he also sent roughly 500 emails to the pastor and church elders, including a May 2025 message that warned, in part, “God is prepared to act – dramatically.”
Investigators say the concerns were not limited to the inbox. The complaint describes multiple welfare checks, a Cornell University Police arrest on April 24, 2023, and a reported adjournment in contemplation of dismissal on Sept. 13, 2023. License-plate-reader images allegedly placed Bonneville near Whitney Point, New York, on May 30, and authorities say there was a reported encounter in Kentucky on June 24.
FBI agents also interviewed Bonneville and searched his home on Feb. 10. According to the complaint, he admitted using multiple email addresses and said he had developed loose plans to kidnap a second woman connected to the church.
What Happens Next in Court
A federal arrest warrant was filed on June 25, and Bonneville was temporarily detained. A preliminary hearing is scheduled tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Detroit federal court, at the Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse, 231 W. Lafayette Blvd., the address listed by the Eastern District of Michigan.
The complaint is an early, public step in a federal case, not a conviction. Bonneville remains presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove the charge in court. At the preliminary hearing, a judge will decide whether the case moves forward to indictment and additional proceedings.
