A Plymouth man suspected of stalking women online as part of a campaign that included posting personal information and digitally altered photos, as well as using artificial intelligence-driven chatbots to pretend to be people, was arrested on Wednesday, Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy’s office announced.

James Florence Jr., 36, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of cyberstalking, Levy’s office said in a statement. After his initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Florence’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept 16.

From 2017 to the day of his arrest, Florence made several social media accounts and email addresses used to harass and threaten a victim anonymously, Levy’s office said. Florence met the person through a mutual friend and had attended parties at the person’s old home between 2015 and 2017.

Later in 2017, he used anonymous social media accounts to post photos of the victim, including photos of her in her underwear taken at her old home, on several different websites, Levy’s office said. Images were digitally altered to show the person as nude or semi-nude.

Florence "posted the victim’s personally identifiable information on these accounts and on numerous websites - including her personal email addresses, home address, professional contact information, account passwords and even a list of colours she had previously dyed her hair, in order to ‘dox’ her,” the statement read.

Additionally, Florence set up several AI-driven chatbots using this information to mimic human conversation using text or voice interactions with unknown users of those platforms, Levy’s office said.

The victim then received threatening messages from social media and email accounts set up by Florence, along with “harassing and extorting communications... from users who messaged the victims as a result of Florence’s posts encouraging them to do so”, the statement read.

He would taunt her to create accounts in her name, use her likeness and tag them with phrases like “Accept It Your Exposure Is Permanent (expletive)” and “Enjoy Your Exposure You Naughty (expletive). You Belong To The Internet”, the statement read.

Florence posted photo collages to the website ladies.exposed, which encouraged users to post them elsewhere, Levy’s office said.

The woman’s name, image and other personal information was shared across at least 13 websites, with 27 unique accounts used to harass, impersonate and cause her substantial emotional distress, the statement continued. She received at least 60 text messages, emails, or calls from unknown senders addressed to the victim discussing her image and information posted online through August 2024.

“The defendant’s alleged actions represent a chilling window into the dangers of online harassment and cyberstalking in the digital age,” Levy said in the statement. “Using advanced technology to manipulate, torment, and publicly humiliate someone for years is not just reprehensible, it is criminal. No one should have to endure the kind of relentless harassment and devastating psychological toll that we allege this victim has bravely endured.”

The charge of stalking by electronic means provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of US$250,000.

 - TNS