Pasadena Man Indicted in Cyberstalking Case

A federal grand jury on Tuesday returned a 26-count indictment against a Pasadena resident accused of making threats to “harm, rape and kill” 10 people, authorities said.

Samuel Trelawney Hughes, 31, who is a citizen of the United Kingdom, faces nine counts of making online threats, seven counts of stalking, seven counts of witness tampering and three counts of mailing threatening communications, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

He met his victims through “various social and business settings,” DOJ spokesman Thom mrozek said in a written statement.

“The indictment alleges that Hughes – sometimes using his real name and other times using aliases or social media accounts designed to conceal his true identity – sent his victims communications in which he expressed hope they would die or in which he made specific threats to harm them,” Mrozek said.

In one instance in October, after one of the victims reported a previous threat to law enforcement officials, Hughes allegedly sent a victim a message reading, in part: “someone I can guarantee will come out and first bash you head in, rape you, slash your throat and burn your car and house,” according to Mrozek.

In another message, he allegedly told a victim, “I will rip your (expletive) throat out and stab you in the eyes and put gasoline over your half mutilated body,” Mrozek said.

In some cases, “Hughes threatened that contacting the police would lead to the injury or death of the victim or the victims’ loved ones,” according to the criminal complaint filed in federal court in Los Angeles.

Hughes used online monikers including xavier.herrera666, parsonstheo38, theoparsons4, tony.hawk.exskater, tony.flavelle450, byword.photography, julius.caesar411, charlotte.massey400 and a.total.wanker400, prosecutors said.

The FBI began investigating Hughes in May 2019.

Separate investigations by police in Pasadena and Los Angeles resulted in his arrest on two separate occasions in June, Mrozek said. But the case is being prosecuted federally, and Hughes was transferred into federal custody late last month pending legal proceedings.

If convicted as charged, Hughes faces a maximum potential penalty of 235 years in federal prison.

He was scheduled to return to U.S. District Court for an arraignment hearing on Aug. 13.