Former Camp Pendleton Marine admits to cyberstalking, extorting several women

A Torrance man who was an active-duty Marine at Camp Pendleton pleaded responsible in a “sextortion marketing campaign,” throughout which he cyberstalked younger ladies with ties to his hometown, federal officers introduced Friday.

From 2019 by way of 2021, Johao Miguel Chavarri, aka Michael Frito, 25, stalked and despatched nameless threatening messages to quite a few victims, together with the three victims mentioned in courtroom paperwork. 

He usually used the identify “Frito” to contact victims on social media, together with Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. He apparently complimented their look and/or commented on their photographs and instructed a relationship by which he would pay them to ship him nude photographs or movies, in accordance with the U.S. Division of Justice.

A few of the victims initially agreed to his requests and despatched him nude, sexually specific or compromising photographs. However when victims refused Chavarri’s preliminary request, refused to ship further photographs or movies, or refused to proceed speaking with him, the defendant began harassing, threatening and extorting the victims utilizing quite a few on-line accounts, officers mentioned.

Usually, Chavarri even threatened to publish sexual photographs and movies of the victims on-line, or on well-known pornography web sites, and/or share the express photographs with the victims’ boyfriends, family members or employers, individuals he usually named.

He additionally threatened his victims, their family and friends by saying he would smash their lives, officers mentioned.

Chavarri was charged in February, however just lately pleaded responsible to 3 counts of cyberstalking, officers mentioned.

He’s scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 15 and faces as much as 5 years in jail on every rely.

Anybody who believes they could have been a sufferer on this case, or is conscious of a sufferer, is requested to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Subject Workplace at 310-477-6565.