TULSA, Okla. - A Norfolk man who sent harassing and intimidating emails directed toward Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mayor G.T. Bynum and Bynum's family made an initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
40-year-old Adam Maxwell Donn was charged by Criminal Complaint with cyberstalking. According to court documents, Bynum and his family received 44 emails and 14 phone calls between June 11-22, which were allegedly meant to harass, annoy, threaten and intimidate Bynum and his family.
Shores said in a statement that Donn intended to intimidate Bynum into canceling President Donald Trump's rally that happened in June.
“The United States charged Adam Donn with stalking, harassing, intimidating, and inflicting emotional distress upon Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and his family. Mr. Donn allegedly sent a series of harassing emails and voicemails in an effort to intimidate the mayor into canceling the presidential rally that occurred here in June,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Cyberstalkers try to hide behind keyboards while they threaten and intimidate others, but their online actions have real world effects. Mr. Donn will now face the real world consequences for his alleged criminal actions. As we do in all cases, our victim coordinators will work with the mayor and his family as this case proceeds in federal court.”
Bynum, concerned for his family’s safety, reported the emails and calls to the Tulsa Police Department on June 18. According to the affidavit filed by an FBI agent, investigators found that the emails were linked to an IP address traced to a Cox Communications account holder named Adam Donn of Norfolk, Virginia, and that his email addresses were used to send the intimidating emails to Mayor Bynum and his wife.
Court documents allege that Donn threatened to publish the Bynum family's home address and personal information to the internet, including the children's cellphone numbers and social media accounts. Donn allegedly said this with the hope that people would encroach upon the Bynum residence with the intent to cause the mayor harm and emotional distress.
Another email was sent on June 19, in which Donn allegedly stated he hoped Bynum's family contracted COVID-19 and hoped the family suffered. Donn went on to say he would possibly show up to Bynum’s next bible study, and on another occasion, asked Bynum's wife if she would be home later so the he could meet her at her house.
Finally, a voicemail Bynum's wife received from Donn allegedly stated the street she lived on and asked if she still lived there “before his guys made a delivery.”
The affidavit also alleged that Donn masqueraded as Bynum's wife and sent emails to her colleagues via her business website. In those emails, he allegedly stated that recipients should send the messages on to the mayor’s wife, and if they didn’t, he would show up at their office. The emails also stated that he had COVID and would come visit.
Donn was released under the pretrial supervision of the U.S. Probation Office. He is scheduled to appear in federal court on July 22 at 2 p.m. in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies.
