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Press Release

Minneapolis Man Indicted For Cyberstalking, Making Threats Through University’s Incident Reporting System

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota

United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal indictment charging JEFFREY COLIN PURDY, 28, with cyberstalking and making interstate threats to injure and kidnap another person. PURDY was initially charged in a criminal complaint on March 2, 2020, and is currently in custody in the Sherburne County jail pending further court proceedings.

According to the indictment, between August 30, 2017, and February 29, 2020, PURDY used various means of interstate commerce to communicate threats to injure and kidnap. Specifically, on September 15, 2017, the Mankato Department of Public Safety received a complaint from an individual stating that she had been receiving harassing emails from PURDY, a former classmate from Minnesota State University, Mankato (“Mankato State”). While attending Mankato State, the victim declined repeated romantic advances from PURDY and eventually blocked PURDY from her cellular telephone and social media accounts. From August 30, 2017, through February 21, 2020, PURDY used Mankato State’s Silent Witness Report, an anonymous incident reporting tool, to make frequent, violent threats against the victim. An IP address used to make one of the Silent Witness Reports was traced back to PURDY. On February 29, 2020, during an interview at the Mankato Department of Public Safety, PURDY admitted to sending all the Silent Witness Reports.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Mankato Department of Public Safety, with assistance from the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case.

 

Defendant Information:

JEFFREY COLIN PURDY, 28

Minneapolis, Minn.

Charges:

  • Cyberstalking, 1 count
  • Interstate transmission of a threat to injure the person of another, 5 counts
  • Interstate transmission of a threat to kidnap the person of another, 1 count

 

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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600

 

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Updated May 15, 2020
Topic
Cybercrime
Component
USAO - Minnesota