Pottsville Man Charged With Cyberstalking And Making Interstate Threats

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Aaron VanDaley, age 43, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 3, 2021, for cyberstalking and making interstate threats.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment charges VanDaley with cyberstalking and making interstate threats to kidnap and injure the minor child of his former intimate partner’s current boyfriend.  The indictment further alleges that VanDaley, with the intent to harass his former intimate partner, made numerous false police reports against his former intimate partner’s friends and family.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the Pottsville Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan is prosecuting the case.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is ten years imprisonment and a term of supervised release following imprisonment.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

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