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Date: 05-30-2020

Case Style:

United States of America v. Micah Austin Goodale

Case Number: 2:20-mj-08162-JZB

Judge:

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

Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney�s Office

Defendant's Attorney:


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Description: Honolulu, HI - Criminal defense attorney represented Defendant charged Micah Austin Goodale with cyberstalking and revenge porn.

Micah Austin Goodale, 26, was arrested for cyberstalking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. � 2261A(2).

U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii announced that the criminal complaint charges Goodale with systematically harassing one of his former intimate partners by disseminating sexual videos and images of her on multiple websites and social media platforms. Along with these �revenge porn� posts, Goodale included the victim�s personal address, phone number, and other identifying information. Goodale also logged in to the victim�s social media accounts and distributed these sexual images and videos to her list of friends and family, and even threatened to send the materials to the victim�s employer. Goodale also sent the victim repeated death threats and degrading insults by email and text messages, and threatened her family members with harm.

�The troubling allegations in the complaint highlight an all-too-common form of criminal activity enabled by the increased connectivity we have through the Internet: cyber-stalking and cyber-harassment. My office will vigorously pursue for prosecution those who weaponize the Internet by using it to harass others,� stated U.S. Attorney Price.

"The FBI takes cyber crimes very seriously. Working alongside our fellow agents in Phoenix, no one is out of reach from the jurisdiction of the FBI. Today's arrest is a testament to the unwavering commitment, dedication, and hard work of the men and women of the FBI," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eli S. Miranda.

The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This prosecution was investigated by FBI in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Early.

18:2261A(2) - Cyberstalking

(a) Offenses.�

(1) Travel or conduct of offender.�A person who travels in interstate or foreign commerce or enters or leaves Indian country or is present within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner, and who, in the course of or as a result of such travel or presence, 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).

(2) Causing travel of victim.�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).

(b) Penalties.�A person who violates this section or section 2261A shall be fined under this title, imprisoned�

(1) for life or any term of years, if death of the victim results;

(2) for not more than 20 years if permanent disfigurement or life threatening bodily injury to the victim results;

(3) for not more than 10 years, if serious bodily injury to the victim results or if the offender uses a dangerous weapon during the offense;

(4) as provided for the applicable conduct under chapter 109A if the offense would constitute an offense under chapter 109A (without regard to whether the offense was committed in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison); and

(5) for not more than 5 years, in any other case,

or both fined and imprisoned.

(6) Whoever commits the crime of stalking in violation of a temporary or permanent civil or criminal injunction, restraining order, no-contact order, or other order described in section 2266 of title 18, United States Code, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 1 year.

Outcome: The charges set forth in the Indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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