Police: 'Facebook Stalker' Terrorized Victims Throughout South Jersey
New Jersey State Police say 20-year-old Craig L. Wyatt Jr. used social media to make death threats against random victims.
Imagine getting a random Facebook message from a stranger saying: You only have a few weeks left to live, so spend your time wisely.
That's exactly what authorities say happened to multiple victims in South Jersey, at the hands of a man they've labeled the "Facebook Stalker."
State police announced Wednesday afternoon that they've arrested the Hamilton Township, Atlantic County resident who was allegedly terrorizing random victims online since the summer.
Craig L. Wyatt Jr., 20, was charged with multiple counts of making terroristic threats, theft of services and harassment. He was held in the Atlantic County Jail in lieu of $35,000 bail.
State police said the investigation began in July, when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified them that someone using the screen name "Jimmy Raketerra" sent a threatening message to a juvenile from Browns Mills, Burlington County. On Aug. 3, state police detectives were contacted by Voorhees police for assistance with an investigation into four separate juvenile victims receiving threats via Facebook.
State police sent a bulletin to all New Jersey law enforcement agencies seeking any other victims in the case. Twenty-one police departments located additional victims who said they had been threatened by the same person. Detectives analyzing information identified Wyatt as a suspect.
On Sept. 20, detectives located and interviewed Wyatt at his residence. He admitted to using multiple Facebook accounts, email addresses and phone numbers to communicate with his victims, state police said.
"It appears that the victims were random," said Sgt. Adam Grossman, a state police spokesman.
Wyat faces additional charges from the following law enforcement agencies:
Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Bellmawr, Bordentown, Cherry Hill, Collingswood, Deptford, Denville, Eastampton, Egg Harbor, Evesham, Florham Park, Gloucester Township, Hamilton Township (Atlantic County), Merchantville, Mount Holly, Pemberton, Southampton, Toms River, Voorhees and West Deptford.
Anyone with information that could assist with this investigation is asked to contact the New Jersey State Police at 609-584-5051, ext. 5624.
Gary B
5:13 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
I'm wondering... how many tears will this keyboard warrior tough guy have on his pillow now that he's in County being traded for cigarettes? ...pondering...pondering... lol
Concerned
5:29 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Can't imagine how much terror this loser caused to the victims and their families. Now having him caught and seeing that the threats were just internet ramblings, hopefully the families can find some amusement what will happen to him.
The law enforcement must be furious having wasted so much resources and efforts with this nonsense. Throw the book at this punk and have him pay restitution for every hour he monopolized.
Matt Skoufalos
5:48 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Let's slow down on the name-calling here, kids. Please be respectful enough to make your points without ad hominem attacks, even if you're fired up about it. Increase the peace.
Smacky D
4:41 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
yeah, until it's your sister or your mom...
M'town Truth
5:55 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
My first thought is that this happens ALL the time, everyday, to most people who engage in social media. He may have been over the top, but with no evidence to substantiate an actual intent to harm, I think he'll walk. That's just the way social media works, and the way the law has interpreted it to date - even after the suicide of a victim of internet harrassment/intimidation.
Random Person
10:53 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
simmer down people, simmer down, take it from SIZZLE to simmer.. there we go. all better now.
Truthnow
8:44 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
This is actually a comment about the issue: Suggestion to avoid these problems on Facebook. Go to account settings & change your privacy to "secured!" Also, go to privacy settings, and, do not allow messages for the public. If someone sends you a friend request, you can go onto their FB page, and see if you know them. Your message option will be available to your friends. It will solve the problem.
M'town Truth
11:59 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Joshua Huddy has it exactly right. Stay away from these social media sites. If you want to be in touch with friends, send them emails or give them a call. All of the information you post is being sifted through and collected. Even if you cancel your fb account, fb continues to monitor your online behaviors and collect data on you. Don't believe it? just do a tiny bit of research and you'll find out it's the truth.
twotif
6:56 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Facebook is harmless. Of course they're mining your info and selling to the highest bidder. But that's been going on for decades. Credit cards. Magazine scripts. It used to be "junk mail." Now it's also junk email. Who gives a rip!?!
This guy is just a stupid kid who didn't think he would get caught. He should be punished, but not have his life ruined.
M'town Truth
9:18 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Thanks for your vigilance, Joshua. Wish we had a lot more people like you voting this November, instead of the mindless sheeple who believe whatever the TV tells them to think.
jenn p
1:14 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Yes he should! This guy threatened to kill me that he was waiting outside my house! Are you kidding! I was scared to let my dogs outside at night! He ruined my life for a month thinking he was going to hurt me!
twotif
11:46 am on Friday, September 28, 2012
For the record, I'm not on Facebook. I just don't live in an imaginary world of government conspiracies or Orwellian BS. Our government is too INCOMPETENT to pull off all these BS conspiracies and "inside jobs" that you idiots prattle on about ad nauseum.
I'm a firm believer that the United States government is the single most dangerous thing on our planet. But I also hold this truth to be self evident that it/they are the most incompetent group of shitheads on the planet!
Facebook is HARMLESS! I'm not on it because the opinions expressed above, and the fact that I'm an atheist. I got tired of fighting with old friends who act personally offended when you don't believe in their horseshit magic genie in the sky. But it's still harmless for the average person who is in lockstep with all the BS their taught to believe when they were children.
So, did I shatter some of your assptions about me, idiot?
M'town Truth
1:27 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
After reading twotwit's latest post, I see that like most of his ilk he's unable to make a cogent argument without using personal attacks and profane epithets. He remains absolutely wrong about the innocuous nature of facebook. I guess he didn't read about the ex-Marine who was hauled out of bed in the middle of the night - without a warrant - and held for "psychiatric evaluation" because of some vague facebook posts he'd made. Not so harmless for HIM, was it?
KC
12:16 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Back to reality: this savage, tough guy "gangsta" should be flushed down the nearest toilet & forgotten! For those who believe that the law should go easy on him & "not ruin his life;" he ruined many lives & introduced fear, total terroristic fear into their lives & I can guarantee you that his time spent in the pokey will be to learn better criminal skills & form associations with some real PsoS. Our jails & prisons should truly have revolving doors installed, just to spare these crims & the prison guards from having to keep it open & letting out the warm/cool air.