Date: 04-18-2021

Case Style:

Case Number: 2:20-cr-00255-DMG

Judge: Dolly M. Gee

Court: United States District Court for the District of ( County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office

Defendant's Attorney: Criminal Defense Lawyer Directory

Description: Los Angeles, California cyberstalking charge criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant, Carl De Vera Bennington, 34, of Covina, who was charged with two counts of cyberstalking. The messages to his victims as “repeated, cruel” and “sadistic.”

Bennington repeatedly sent one victim unsolicited online messages over a period of several years. When she blocked him from contacting her from one of her online accounts, Bennington created new online accounts and then continued sending her messages, including graphic messages between June and November 2019 in which he insulted the victim, demanded she engage in sex acts with him, and threatened to sexually assault her. When the victim demanded that Bennington stop harassing her, he threatened to kill her and her family.

Bennington also harassed another victim, who deactivated her social media accounts in 2017 after he solicited her to engage in a sexual relationship with him. In August 2019, after she reactivated her social media accounts, Bennington sent her numerous online messages threatening to kill her unless she responded to his demands for sex acts.

Neither victim ever met Bennington in person. Bennington frequently promoted incel (involuntarily celibate) ideology, which involves individuals who are unable to find a willing sex partner, according to a sentencing memo filed by prosecutors, which notes the ideology ranges in tone from expressing sadness and self-loathing to advocating the “absolute hatred” of women.

While Bennington suffers from mental health issues – which prompted prosecutors to seek enhanced supervision and mental health treatment following his release – a prison sentence was warranted because of his long pattern of cyberstalking activity and “his deep-seated and violent ideology regarding women,” according to the sentencing memo.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney David T. Ryan of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section prosecuted this matter.

18:2261A(2),2261(b)(5): STALKING
(1)

18:2261A(2),2261(b)(5): STALKING
(2)

Outcome: Defendant is hereby committed to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons to be imprisoned for a term of EIGHTEEN (18) MONTHS on each of Counts 1 and 2, to be served CONCURRENTLY. Special assessment of $200. All fines are waived. Upon release from imprisonment, the defendant shall be placed on supervised release for a term of THREE (3) YEARS as to each of Counts 1 and 2 of the Indictment, all such terms to run CONCURRENTLY under the terms and conditions of the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office and Second Amended General Order 20-04.

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Defendant's Experts:

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