A Plymouth man this week agreed to plead guilty to charges he cyberstalked multiple victims over a decade, posting on social media sites digitally altered images of them that included pornographic photos, according to federal prosecutors.
James Florence Jr., 36, who was living at the Redbrook apartments in South Plymouth when he was arrested in September, was originally accused of stalking a single victim — a university professor he met in 2017.
Federal prosecutors Thursday said that Florence will admit to stalking seven victims — the professor and six others, including a relative, a former co-worker, a former “intimate partner,” and the daughter of one of the other victims, according to court records. The victims were not identified.
Florence, who previously worked for software companies, an emerging technology organization, and the federal government, allegedly used his “significant knowledge” of computers to hide his identity online, prosecutors alleged.
He used virtual private networks, overseas revenge-porn websites, and foreign encrypted email providers that do not cooperate with US law enforcement, according to a document filed by Assistant US Attorney Luke Goldworm.
According to Goldworm’s filing, from 2014 to 2024 Florence allegedly engaged in a stalking campaign that included harassing and intimidating victims by creating phony nude images of them, and vulgar fake accounts in their names. He also hacked into their accounts.
In addition, he allegedly distributed private information about the victims, including photos that were doctored to appear sexual or pornographic, prosecutors said.
Florence created accounts in the name of his victims, prosecutors charged, soliciting sexual encounters with them. In one case, he created a profile on an interactive platform with information about a victim’s supposed underwear and sexual preferences.
In another instance, he allegedly created and posted photo collages of a victim, including images edited to make her appear nude or semi-nude along with her personal identifying information and captions that encouraged viewers to “Post & Share Her Everywhere. Make The Whore Famous.”
Florence will plead guilty to seven counts of cyberstalking and one count of possessing child pornography, prosecutors said. In September, he was found with images of two young children, prosecutors alleged.
He faces up to five years in federal prison for cyberstalking and as many as 20 years for possession of child pornography — a crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. He also faces fines of up to $250,000 for the stalking charges and another $250,000 for the child pornography possession.
Florence will also forfeit any property that was used while committing the crimes, including computers and other devices, court documents said.
Andrea Estes can be reached at andrea@plymouthindependent.org.