Overview

• Kevin Cruz, 34, of Oak Park, Illinois, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for a prolonged cyberstalking campaign against a victim he met on Grindr in 2021.
• From December 2021 to mid-2023, Cruz created fake profiles impersonating the victim, arranging for men to visit the victim's home under false pretenses, some with instructions to act out non-consensual scenarios.
• Cruz sent the victim’s explicit photos to family members and falsely claimed the victim had died by suicide using a spoofed phone number.
• U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger also ordered Cruz to pay $17,313.18 in restitution to the victim, emphasizing the severe harm caused by his actions.
• Federal prosecutors underscored the case as an example of the DOJ's commitment to addressing technology-facilitated harassment and protecting victims from online abuse.