Case Study: How Teen Girls Fought Their Cyberstalker
In 2011, Belmont, New Hampshire, a small town of 7,200, became the center of a cyberstalking case that shook Belmont High School. This story hits close to home. The girls in it are my age and shows how a simple online connection can turn dangerous. It also shows how victims can fight back.
One of the girls, May, age 16, feeling isolated at school accepted a Facebook friend request from “Seth Williams.” She was lonely and his profile seemed friendly. Soon, Seth sent explicit messages and threats. When May blocked him, he used new fake accounts, doxxed her by sharing personal info online, and impersonated her to spread rumors. Other girls at Belmont High reported similar harassment from “Seth,” some receiving hundreds of messages or threats to leak private photos. One victim’s explicit images, sent privately to a boyfriend, were emailed to her entire contact list, including family and teachers. The harassment caused anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
The perpetrator was Austin Vallee, a 19-year-old Belmont High student. He used his computer skills to hack emails, Facebook, and iCloud accounts, stealing photos and posting them online with cruel labels. Rachel Moulton, Belmont’s only detective, investigated. With a small department relying on donations, she collected screenshots and traced IP addresses. The victims helped crack the case. May and others noticed Vallee’s suspicious behavior, like offering to “help” a girl find her stalker. They compared messages, spotting similar writing styles, and gathered evidence. May once saw Vallee at her part-time job and hid in fear.
New Hampshire’s laws in 2011 treated much of this as misdemeanor harassment, but Moulton worked with the FBI. Digital forensics linked Vallee to the accounts, and a sting operation in 2016 confirmed his identity. Arrested, he showed no remorse, even asking to contact a victim again. In 2017, Vallee pleaded guilty to computer fraud, identity theft, and stalking, receiving a nine-year prison sentence.
Reported by Wired through interviews with victims, Moulton, and court records, this case shows how easy anonymous online abuse is, especially for girls, and how early cyberstalking laws were weak. The victims’ courage in reporting and sharing clues was key. They proved that speaking up, even when it’s scary, can bring justice. As a high schooler, this makes me rethink who I trust online and admire the strength of May and the others.