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Date: 11-30-2021
Case Style:
Case Number: 1:20-cr-00045-JMS
Judge: J. Michael Seabright
Court: United States District Court for the District of Hawaii (Honolulu County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Honolulu, Hawaii criminal defense attorney represented defendant charged with cyberstalking.
Micah Austin Goodale, 27, of Queen Creek, Arizona was cyberstalking.
Goodale had previously been in a relationship with the victim, an adult female, and during that time, Goodale had recorded sexually explicit and graphic videos of the victim. Sometime after their relationship had ended, Goodale uploaded and published the sexually explicit videos onto a website that hosts adult pornographic content for free public streaming. Alongside the videos on the pornographic website, Goodale added the victim’s full name, phone number, and address, and included comments inviting viewers to harass the victim.
On or about November 13, 2019, Goodale signed onto a Facebook social media account that belonged to the victim, who then resided in the District of Hawaii. Goodale then posted links to the sexually explicit videos that featured the victim on her Facebook account for everyone in her social network to view. Subsequently, Goodale also created a Twitter profile using the victim’s name and likeness and posted additional sexually explicit content featuring the victim there. In addition, Goodale sent harassing messages to the victim using a variety of electronic means, both directly and on public messaging boards.
“Cyberstalking and revenge pornography are just new forms of harassment and intimidation that have been made possible by advancing social media technology,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Judith A. Philips. “The digital nature and global reach of social media present unprecedented potential for harm, and criminals who abuse these new technologies to unlawfully harass and intimidate others in substantial ways will be brought to justice.”
"What Micah Goodale did is horrific, and the impact on the victim is immeasurable," said Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “By using online tools to scare and disrupt the victim's life, the defendant tormented and caused substantial distress to the victim. While today’s sentencing cannot erase that harm, it ensures he will remain behind bars for a very long time, unable to victimize anyone else. This sentencing is a success in the fight against those who exploit the vulnerable and illustrates our dedication to bring these criminals to justice. The FBI will continue to hold accountable those who engage in such conduct and will never stop working to put cyberstalkers like him behind bars.”
The investigation that led to the indictment was led by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates is handling the prosecution.
18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2)(B) provides, in part: "A person who causes a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner to travel in interstate or foreign commerce or to enter or leave Indian country by force, coercion, duress, or fraud, and who, in the course of, as a result of, or to facilitate such conduct or travel, commits or attempts to commit a crime of violence against that spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner, shall be punished as provided in subsection (b)."
Outcome: ADJUDGED: Imprisonment: THIRTY-SIX (36) MONTHS; Supervised Release: THREE (3) YEARS; Fine: None imposed; Special Assessment: $100.00; Mittimus forthwith
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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