A West Suburban Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Cyberstalking
A west suburban man has been given a five-year federal prison sentence for cyberstalking a man who rejected his sexual advances. Kevin Cruz, 34, created multiple fake profiles of the victim on dating apps and sent “hundreds of men” to the victim’s home for sexual rendezvous, officials said.
Background of the Case
Cruz and the victim met on Grindr in August 2021 as Cruz was about to separate from his husband after less than a year of marriage, according to court filings. The victim made it clear that he was not interested in a sexual relationship with Cruz.
Angered by the rejection, Cruz created profiles featuring photos of the victim on sites like Grindr, Doublelist, Scruff, and Sniffies, and engaged hundreds of men in conversations for more than a year, a federal complaint said.
Between December 2021 and April 2021, Cruz sent “hundreds of men” to the victim’s Oak Park home “looking for sex or sexual favors,” prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum. Many of the men who showed up spoke with the victim, and some reported receiving instructions to enter the home without knocking.
“There were times when a stranger would show up to my home invited by the defendant and I, at the time, verbally stated actions of ending my life on the phone with law enforcement,” the victim wrote in an impact statement submitted to the court. “I feel grateful that I was able to live through those 20 months and that I am still here.”
Continued Harassment
Cruz is also accused of sending sexually explicit images and texts as well as threatening messages to the victim’s family, including threats of killing and raping the victim’s mother and threats to send convicts to the victim’s home.
Prosecutors said Cruz sent “thousands” of harassing texts to the victim and the victim’s family members, some of which included nude photos of the victim.
The victim ultimately moved out of his residence and into his parents’ home in another suburb. But Cruz continued to create fake profiles and sent men to the parents’ home unannounced to engage in sex with the victim.
Legal Action and Sentencing
In April 2023, the victim arranged an in-person meeting with Cruz that was monitored by the FBI. Cruz admitted to harassing the man and his family.
As the victim walked to his car after the meeting, Cruz blocked his path and prevented him from entering the vehicle, federal officials said. Law enforcement officers moved in to ensure the victim’s safety.
Even after Cruz was confined to the federal prison in downtown Chicago, he continued to call the victim and sent threatening letters to the victim’s new husband.
“My overall spirit still feels completely shattered because of the defendant’s actions. I have never been or felt so dehumanized or disrespected by anyone in my entire life,” the victim wrote in his impact statement. “I could not concentrate. I could not sleep. I could not eat. I lost a significant amount of weight in a short period of time. I could barely function on a day to day basis, which made it very difficult for me to work, engage in self care, or socialize. I was in a constant state of panic. I get chills in my body when I think about this time period, because it was so hard to live through.”
Prosecutors sought a sentence of 51 months, while Cruz’s defense attorneys argued for a 22-month term.
U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger on Wednesday went beyond the government’s recommended sentence by handing Cruz a 60-month sentence. The judge also ordered Cruz to pay $17,313.18 in restitution.
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