Hicksville Man 'Sextorted' 5 Women And 1 Minor: U.S. Attorney

Hicksville NY

19 January, 2021

5:04 PM

Description

TAMPA, FL — A Hicksville man posted sexually explicit images and the personal information of five women and a minor to the internet and encouraged harassment — and rape in one case — in a sextortion campaign, the U.S. Attorney's office said. Federal prosecutors said that 34-year-old Christopher Buonocore, who pleaded guilty to six counts of cyberstalking in a Florida court on Friday, used text messages, fictitious phone numbers, and social media accounts to "harass, intimidate, cyberstalk, and attempt to sextort" five women and a minor. Federal Bureau of Investigation probers found Buonocore posted sexually explicit and nude images of the victims and personal identifying information such as their phone numbers, addresses, and social media profile names to the internet, the U.S. Attorney's office for the Middle District of Florida stated in a news release. During the federal probe, investigators found a "significant amount" of Buonocore's posts and he either directly messaged victims over text, Facebook, and other "electronic communication services" and concealed his identity by creating multiple fictitious social media and email accounts, court records show. "Buonocore solicited individuals online, unknown to him, to contact and harass the victims, including, at times, encouraging these individuals to rape a victim or extort additional sexually explicit images from them," the U.S. Attorney's office stated in a news release. Court records show that some women were contacted by strangers notifying them that nude photographs were placed on the internet with their contact information, and family members, associates, and business clients received those nude photos also. Buonocore posted the photograph of a 14-year-old girl and suggested that she be raped in a series of messages while using the social platform kik, and her parents were forced to install new security equipment at their home and to inform her school that she was in danger, court records show. Buonocore also obtained a nude photo of a third victim who was childhood friend living in Suffolk County, and harassed her leading her to believe that she was being followed, but the woman later confronted him using Facebook Messenger and got him to admit what he was doing, took a screenshot and gave it to law enforcement, records show. Another victim also confronted him, asking him to stop, and he responded, "ok, it's done," prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Buonocore inflicted emotional distress on the victims and he has been ordered to pay restitution to them. His attorney Brian Bieber of Gray Robinson in Miami said the court will decide how much Buonocore, who was born in New Jersey and made his living in the construction field, will pay out in restitution. There is a separate civil court case is pending in Orlando, FL, he said. "Chris is extremely remorseful for his criminal conduct. He's in intensive therapy and is doing everything humanly possible to right the wrongs of his past. There is no explanation for his conduct but the explanation lies in the psychological context," Bieber said in a phone interview. Buonocore faces up to 30 years in federal prison as each count of cyberstalking carries a maximum of five years in prison, as well as $250,000 fine, anywhere from one-to-three years over supervised release, and a $100 felony fee. He does not have a sentencing date yet.