Navy captain convicted for ex-girlfriend cyberstalking and ID theft

A former Navy ship captain was convicted final week of cyberstalking and stealing his ex-girlfriend’s identification to create specific on-line content material, in response to the U.S. Justice Division.

Throughout a four-day federal trial in San Diego, prosecutors introduced proof that Capt. Theodore E. Essenfeld, 52, created pretend Fb, LinkedIn, e mail and mobile phone accounts utilizing the girl’s identify, pictures and private info with out her consent or data.

“Posing because the sufferer, Essenfeld posted erotic and sexually specific content material to the Fb account, in addition to graphic media information,” the Justice Division mentioned in a press release asserting the June 14 conviction.

Prosecutors introduced proof exhibiting that Essenfeld joined Fb courting teams utilizing the bogus account and interacted with different customers whereas pretending to be the girl.

The captain additionally adopted and engaged with social media accounts belonging to the girl’s potential employers, in response to the feds.

Greater than 1,200 Fb customers turned associates with the pretend account, together with the girl’s former colleagues.

The sufferer reported this imposter account to Fb greater than 400 instances, however the firm refused to take the account down “as a result of it appeared extra genuine than the sufferer’s precise account as a result of quantity of photos and degree of Essenfeld’s engagement on the platform,” the Justice Division mentioned.

Essenfeld and the girl started courting in 2018 and broke up in 2021, in response to his 2023 indictment.

The prior-enlisted floor warfare officer was assigned to Expeditionary Strike Group 3 on the time of his indictment in 2023, and beforehand commanded the dock touchdown ship Pearl Harbor from 2015 to 2018.

Essenfeld is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6.

He faces as much as 20 years in jail and a $500,000 wonderful.

Should you or somebody has been the sufferer of cyberstalking by an active-duty servicemember, name the Division of Protection Hotline at 800-424-9098.