Hamburg Man Arrested And Charged With Threatening A Local News Reporter

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Paul E. Lubienecki, 62, of Hamburg, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with cyberstalking. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on February 4, 2020, a member of the Buffalo, NY media (the Victim), received a voicemail that contained a death threat. The Victim has been reporting on the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo clergy sex abuse scandal for the past two years, and on that day, the Victim reported that Christ the King Seminary was being closed by the Diocese.

According to the complaint, the caller criticized the Victim's professionalism before stating, “...I know where you live in [town]. I'm going to find you. I'm going to kill you.” The complaint further states that the Victim received other harassing voicemails from a number associated with the defendant during August, November, and December of 2019. All told, 11 harassing phone calls were made from the phone number associated with Lubienecki to the Victim. 

The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and was released on conditions.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.

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.

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