Six Pennsylvania Residents and One Resident of North Carolina Indicted on Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Computer Fraud, ID Theft and Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material Charges

ERIE, Pa. - Six residents of Pennsylvania and one resident of North Carolina have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, fraud in connection with unlawful computer access, aggravated identity theft, and receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

The sixteen-count Indictment named the following:

Richard Alan Martz, Jr., 33, Meadville, Pennsylvania
Dylan Michael Miller, 30, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
Christopher Clampitt, 33, Clemmons, North Carolina
Edward Grabb, 31, Jeanette, Pennsylvania
Michael Yackovich, 27, West Newton, Pennsylvania
Luke Robert Swinehart, 22, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Karlin Terrell Jones, 26, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

According to the Indictment presented to the court, the seven co-defendants conspired to hack into Snapchat accounts for the purpose of removing explicit images and videos depicting the victim account holders. After obtaining the explicit material, the co-defendants would then share the images and videos with each other and others online unbeknownst to the victim account holders.

“As alleged, the defendants used deception and hacking techniques to unlawfully access social media accounts so that they could steal, hoard, and trade explicit and otherwise private content of hundreds of unsuspecting victims,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will reach far and wide to identify and prosecute those who victimize our communities via the internet, especially when they seek to victimize our most vulnerable population—our children.”

“The seven people charged today exploited their victims and engaged in a predatory behavior that will not be tolerated,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “Hacking into social media accounts, stealing intimate pictures of unsuspecting victims and then selling and trading them in online forums is nothing short of reprehensible. These victims were re-victimized multiple times as their personal pictures were recirculated. We believe there is an extensive network of victims who still haven’t been identified.”

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 69 years in prison, a fine of $1,750,000, or both for Martz; 34 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both for Miller; 22 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both for Clampitt; 22 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both for Grabb; 29 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both for Yackovich; 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both for Swinehart and Jones. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

If you believe you are a victim in this case and would like to opt-in to receive case notifications or if you have any questions about your rights, please contact the Victim Witness Coordinator at usapaw.victimwitness@usdoj.gov.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.