Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on June 19, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, JEFFREY DOUGLAS GROB, a 28-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared for sentencing. GROB was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 37 months

• Special Assessment: $100

• Supervised Release: 3 years

GROB was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to cyberstalking.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

GROB had been in a dating relationship with "R" (name withheld to protect the victim's privacy). Following the termination of their relationship, GROB began sending "R" vulgar, profane and threatening e-mails. The e-mails not only contained death threats to "R," but included picture attachments. GROB also threatened to kill "R's" current boyfriend.

Beginning in October of 2007, GROB sent the following selected e-mails, among others:

DATE

SUBJECT

TEXT INCLUDES

ATTACHED

10-15-07

I hope you die!!

11-12-07

I can't believe you killed our baby

I am not going to leave you alone, I am not going to go away and I am not going to forget about the horrible s#$% you did to me.

Vengeance will be mine. I will get you if it is the last thing I do.

11-12-07

I'm going to get you.

Soon. You better not come back to Montana again.

11-12-07

Die b*&^%.

I hope you die.

11-24-07

I'm going to slit your throat.

If you ever come back to montana again I am going to slit your throat. I am not even kidding. It would make me fill [sic] so good so see you bleed as you gasp for air. I hope you are ready for retribution, because it is coming.

You are going down b*&^%.

11-30-07

It will happen

Picture of a female that appears to have been shot in the head.

12-02-07

I'm going to kill S.

12-02-07

I'm going to put a bullet in his head.

12-02-07

You should do this!!!!

Picture that appears to be someone who has committed suicide by jumping off of a building.

12-2-07

This will be you.

Picture of a dismembered female.

12-2-07

OMG our baby.

Picture of a dead baby.

"R" contacted law enforcement at the University of Montana where GROB is currently a student because she was in fear for her life. When questioned, GROB first denied but finally admitted sending the e-mails to scare "R." GROB also sent numerous cell phone texts messages to "R" as well. GROB'S actions caused "R" serious emotional distress, and she reports still being in fear of GROB and looking over her shoulder in fear that he will show up and carry out his threats. "R" lives in Seattle, Washington, while GROB lives in Missoula.

GROB used the Internet with the intent to place "R" in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury, and used the Internet to engage in a course of conduct that caused substantial emotional distress to "R" and placed "R" in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury, by sending the repeated Internet e-mail messages threatening to kill "R" and by sending "R" pictures of dead bodies.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that GROB will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, GROB does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Missoula Police Department and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.

 

 

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