California man arrested, charged with cyberstalking and identity theft

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment charging Max Yang Chen, 29, of San Jose, CA, with three counts of obtaining information from a protected computer, three counts of cyberstalking, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 36 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan P. Cantil and Douglas A.C. Penrose, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between March 2021, and June 2023, Chen accessed the computers of three separate victims, without authorization, to obtain information about the victims. Chen then used that information to harass and intimidate the victims. In addition, Chen unlawfully accessed the social media accounts of the victims, and then stole data from those accounts.

Chen made an initial appearance in the Northern District of California and was held pending a detention hearing on March 11, 2024. He will be returned to the Western District of New York at a later date.

The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.   

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.