RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A 38-year-old Durham man could be in prison until he is 63 if convicted on charges of cyberstalking five victims, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
David Ryan Winters was formally accused of cyberstalking the victims by way of a federal grand jury’s indictment, according to a Wednesday announcement from the DOJ. That indictment further accuses Winters of “targeting the victims due to their sexual orientation or gender identity”.
Out of the five cases, one victim who claims to have been targeted by Winters said the “harassment” began in 2016 and has continued through 2024.
The indictment points to text messages as the primary source of Winters communications to the victims. According to a DOJ release, Winters would send text messages that were “harassing” and “intimidating” in nature. His messages were also sent, in some cases, to people close the victims.
The cases, which are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel, were taken up as part of the work being done by the EDNC Civil Rights Team. The team was launched in 2022 and in 2023 the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District of North Carolina added two new, dedicated civil rights prosecutors to that team.
“Everybody has an equal right to live, work, worship, and love in America,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We won’t tolerate those who threaten, stalk, or use violence just because they don’t like how somebody else lives. Everybody is treated equally and fairly under the law and we won’t normalize violence and intimidation. Our Civil Rights Team is squaring off against threats and hate-fueled violence of any kind and not slowing down.”
Other cases taken on by the EDNC team have included:
- The indictment of an Alabama man accused of cyberstalking an NC woman because of her sexual orientation.
- The arrest of a California man after making threats targeting multiple entities and individuals in N.C., including an elected official, members of law enforcement, and several synagogues.
As for Winters’ cases, the DOJ said the Raleigh and Durham Police Departments, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are continuing to investigate.
Anyone who is a victim of cyberstalking is encouraged to contact your local law enforcement agency or the FBI.
