Durham Man Charged With Cyberstalking Members of LGBTQ+ Community

<_w3a_listitem listvalue="RALEIGH" datavalue="RALEIGH"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="GREENVILLE" datavalue="GREENVILLE"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="NEW BERN" datavalue="NEW BERN"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="WILMINGTON" datavalue="WILMINGTON"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="ELIZABETH CITY" datavalue="ELIZABETH CITY">RALEIGH, N.C. - A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Durham man with cyberstalking five victims. One of the charges alleges that the harassment began in 2016 and continued through this year. The indictment further alleges that the defendant, David Ryan Winters, targeted the victims due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

According to the indictment, Winters, age 38, sent electronic and text messages to the victims, and, in some cases, people close to them, attempting to intimidate and harass the victims. Winters, if convicted on all counts, faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.

This indictment and prosecution is a result of the work of the Civil Rights Team launched by U.S. Attorney Michael Easley in 2022, which prioritizes the investigation and prosecution of civil and criminal cases involving civil rights, such as gender or sexual identification, religion, race and national origin, the protection of voter rights, disability rights or access, and discrimination in housing, healthcare, lending, employment, and education. In 2023, the office added two new dedicated civil rights prosecutors to the team.

The EDNC Civil Rights Team has pursued numerous matters this year arising from cyberstalking and threats targeting victims for their membership in protected groups. Earlier this month, an Alabama man was indicted for cyberstalking a local woman allegedly targeting her because of her sexual orientation. In May, a California man was arrested after making threats targeting multiple entities and individuals, including an elected official, members of law enforcement, and several synagogues located in North Carolina, while residing in California at the time the threats were made.

"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."

If you or someone you know is a victim of cyberstalking, you are encouraged to contact your local law enforcement or the FBI.

Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Raleigh and Durham Police Departments, the Wake County Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel is prosecuting the cases.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.