Maryland man sentenced for relentlessly cyberstalking victims

NORFOLK, Va. – A man from North Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced on June 7 to eight years and four months in prison for systematically cyberstalking several victims for approximately a year and a half.

According to court documents, Joseph Bourabah, 27, harassed and stalked multiple victims from September 2021 until February 2023. The defendant’s cyberstalking campaign was relentless and extended to the victims’ family members, tenants, and even former employers. The harassment involved hundreds of incidents, including fake Craigslist ads, Facebook postings, events on Eventbrite, and the hiring of unwanted services.

In September 2021, Bourabah, using a fake account, began sharing pornographic content of a victim on Facebook and spreading false accusations about the victim. In October and November 2021, Bourabah sent pornographic videos of the victim to the victim’s family members and friends. Bourabah also emailed the victim on various occasions from November 2021 to October 2022, including an email with a link to a pornographic website where Bourabah had posted videos of the victim along with the victim’s true name and former employers.

Bourabah targeted the victim’s mother. On multiple occasions, Bourabah posted pornographic videos on the mother’s social media feeds. On Feb. 23, 2022, Bourabah created a Craigslist post advertising her pet ducks for free, resulting in the pets being taken. Bourabah created another Craigslist ad listing her trampoline for free, resulting in the trampoline being taken from her home when she was not there.

Bourabah created a fake ad on Craigslist to advertise another victim’s car as available for free and attempted to have the car towed. In January 2023, Bourabah advertised a party titled “[victim’s name] Pedo Kink Party” and used a picture of the victim and the victim’s home address. In an email dated Dec. 26, 2021, Bourabah told the victim, “I’m never going to stop. I’ll be trolling your children’s babysitter 10 years from now.”

Bourabah also harassed that victim’s mother through ads on Craigslist that included a Halloween costume party, a New Years Eve party, and an open house event. Bourabah ordered unsolicited services to her residence, including tree cutting, carpet cleaning, junk removal, and towing. Bourabah attempted five times to have her vehicle towed, and on one occasion the tow driver removed a barricade from the driveway and placed the vehicle on the tow truck. Bourabah also harassed the tenants in her rental properties.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Heck and Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-37.