The People Vs Christopher Charles Gafford: A Notable Case Of Cyberstalking

ThePeopleVs.ChristopherCharlesGafford:ANotableCaseofCyberstalkingKadinMcElwainDr .Chen,IntroT oCybersecurityKentStateUniversityOctober4th,2023ThePeopleVs.ChristopherCharlesGafford:ANotableCaseofCyberstalkingCertainbehaviorsarenevertolerated,especiallywhentheyinvolvedoingphysicalormentalharmtoanotherperson.Thesamethingcanbesaidaboutinternetactivities,especiallycyberbullying,doxxingpeople,scammingpeople,hacking,postingfakenews,andcyberstalking.Thefinalexamplemeansthatyouberateandharassthatperson,continuesendingthreateningemailswhenyouretoldtostop,oryoutryyourbesttoruinthevictim slifebyimpersonatingthem.What sworseisthatifonevictimofcyberstalkinghassomethinghorribleleakedaboutthem,suchasthembeinganOnlyFansmodel,theentirefamilysuf ferstheconsequencesandareharassed,mostnotablysmallchildren,whohavetheirfriendshipscutof fbecausetheparentsoftheirfriendsdecidetoassociatethatchildwiththevictim.ThiscanbesaidaboutthecaseofcyberstalkingIchose:ThePeopleVs.ChristopherCharlesGaf ford,arecentcaseofcyberstalkingthatinvolvedanabusivemanstalkinghisex-girlfriend,whoheabusedduringherpregnancy(Monte,2022).ThevictimdatedGaf fordforeightyearsandhadachildwiththisperson(HolmesandClark,2022).Duringthattime,especiallywhenthefemalewaspregnant,Gaf fordwasphysicallyandemotionallyabusivetowardsher(Monte,2022).Aftertheybrokeup,that swhenthecyberstalkingbegan.Gaf fordsharedinappropriatepornographicimageswiththesuf fereronvariouschatroomsandtextingplatforms,andevensentseveralthreateningmessagestothispersonandhernewhusband,includingonewherehethreatenedtoripherparentsheadsof fand[defecate]downtheirnecks(HolmeandClark,2022).Inonemonth,Gaf fordhadsentover1,000messagestothefemale(Matsik,2022).Then,in2021,Gaf fordwasfinallyarrestedandchar gedwithtwocountsofcyberstalking,inwhichhepleadedguiltyto(Monte,2022).Then,inOctoberof2022,hewassentencedtotenyearsinjailfortheseheinouscrimes(Monte,2022).Onaccountofthecyberstalkingandtheharassment,thevictimandherfamilysuf feredtremendously .Thefemalebusinessowner scompanysuf feredtremendouslyfinanciallyduetotheabuse,althoughthisdidn tconcernthecustomers(Monte,2022).Notonlythat,butthispersonlostseveralfriendshipsduetotheactionsofGaf fordandherchildlostfriendshipsaswell,becausetheparentswereassociatingthischildwiththecyberstalking(Monte,2022).AlotofdramawascausedbyGaf fordandhisheinousactionsand,asaresult,everyone slivescamecrashingdownlikedominoes.Butthereareafewwaysforthevictim,oranyoneforthatmatter ,toavoidincidentslikethisfromhappeningagain.Inthefuture,W endellThomasrecommendsthatyoufollowtheseeighttipstoavoidcyberstalking(Thomas2021):Alwayssearchforyournamewiththecityandstatethatyouliveintomakesurethatallinformationaboutyouispositive.Alwayscheckyourcreditreporttomakesurethatnooneistakingouthouseloansandcreditcardpaymentstolivealuxurylifestyle(Personally ,IrecommendCreditKarmaforthis.)Neveracceptfollowrequestsfrompeopleyoudon tknow ,especiallyifyoureaminor .Alwayssetyouraccounttoprivate,unlessyourefamous.Alwayschangeyourpasswordstoallofyouronlineprofiles,preferablyonceamonth,toensurethatyoudon tgethacked.Makesurethatallofyourdevicesaresecure,assonoonetriestohackthem.Neverfallforphishingscamsorclickonanylinksemailedtoyou.There soneruletofollow ,especiallywithscamsthatinvolveyouclickingalinktowin$1,00,000andafreehotel:Ifit stoogoodtobetrue,itmostlikelyisascam.Finally ,thereisthemostimportantruleofallwhenitcomestobeingonline:Becarefulwhatyoupost,becauseitcouldbethereforever .Forexample,ifyoupostaregretfulof fensivefunnypostoryouopenlymocksomeoneduetocolor ,sexuality ,ordisability ,peoplecouldrepost,gettingthepostmillionsofviews,andyoucouldfindyourselfonthestreetsandgettingharassed24/7duetothepost.Ifyoufollowtheseeightstepsforasafeonlineexperience,youwillneverhaveacaseofcyberstalking.Butifthereisacaseofcyberstalkingandyoureafraidforyourlife,Ipersonallyrecommendthatyoucallthepoliceimmediatelyortellatrustedfriend,guardian,parent,orthelike.TheywillprovideyouwiththeproperresourcesavailabletohelpcombatpeoplelikeGaf ford.T oconclude,ifyoudon twanttoenduplikeGaf ford,oranyothercyberstalker ,youshouldneverevercyberstalkanyone.Instead,usetheinternetforpositivity .Spreadlovewiththeinternet.Spreadgoodvibeswiththeinternetalways.Mostimportantly ,havefun.Refer ences:Holmes,M.,&Clark,J.(2022,July5).Lubbockcyberstalkingcase,mor ethan1,000messagespermonth,manywer eviolent.KLBK|KAMC|EverythingLubbock.com.https://www .everythinglubbock.com/news/lubbock-cyberstalking-case-more-than-1000-messages-per -month-many-were-violent/Matsik,L.(2022,July5).1,000+messagesinamonth?manpleadsguiltytocyberstalking.News/T alk95.1&790KFYO.https://kfyo.com/1000-messages-in-a-month-lubbock-man-pleads-guilty-to-cyberstalking/Monte,G.(2022,October31).Manwhotormentedex-girlfriendfor5yearsgets10-yearsinfederalcyberstalkingcase.LubbockA valanche-Journal.https://www .lubbockonline.com/story/news/courts/2022/10/31/man-tormented-ex-girlfriend-sentenced-in-federal-cyberstalking-case/69607064007/Thomas,W .(2021,January28).Eighttipstopr otectyourselffr omcyberstalking.SafeHorizon.https://www .safehorizon.or g/stories/protect-yourself-from-cyberstalking/