One Defendant Sentenced to Prison and Another Ordered Detained Pretrial This Week in Separate Cyberstalking Cases

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A Washington, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was ordered detained in separate cyberstalking cases this week, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Eric Scholl, 56, of Washington was sentenced on January 31, 2024, by United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to two years in prison and three years of supervised release after his incarceration. Scholl was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim, his ex-wife, whom he admitted cyberstalking after she had obtained a Pennsylvania Protection from Abuse (PFA) order against him. Among other things, Scholl placed a GPS tracking device on the victim’s car to track her movements; directed harassing and intimidating emails, texts, and phone calls to her, including using a web-based service that allowed him to disguise his phone number; and posted lewd content about her on the internet.

On February 1, 2024, Daniel Marsico, 37, of Pittsburgh was ordered detained pretrial after a contested detention hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Patricia L. Dodge. Marsico was indicted and arrested last week on a charge of carrying out an extensive cyberstalking campaign against his ex-girlfriend over several years, despite her having obtained a PFA order against him. According to the Indictment and evidence presented at the detention hearing, over the course of three and a half years, Marsico harassed, threatened, and intimidated his ex-girlfriend by stalking her through text messages, phone calls, online activity, and in-person confrontations.

A third recent stalking case brought by the United States Attorney’s Office saw Daniel Larivee, 48, of Plainfield, Vermont, charged with cyberstalking in November 2023. According to the Indictment, Larivee continually cyberstalked, harassed, and threatened his ex-wife, who lives in Pittsburgh, for more than three years, also in violation of a PFA order, threatening to kill her multiple times. In his most recent string of threats, Larivee compared himself to the shooter in the recent mass-shooting tragedy in Maine. He is also currently detained pretrial.

“These recent prosecutions reflect our office’s unwavering commitment to combatting the rise in this devastating criminal behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Those who choose to engage in relentless cyberstalking campaigns against traumatized victims cannot hide behind their computers or cell phones. Working together with our dedicated partners in law enforcement, we will find them, bring them out from the shadows, and hold them accountable under federal law.”

“The victims in these cases did not let fear silence them,” said FBI Pittsburgh Division Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “While they suffered from fear and emotional distress, they courageously came forward and took legal action to file court orders of protection, but continued to be victimized by the defendants online. The FBI urges victims of online threats to report the crime. We are committed to investigating these cowardly acts.”

Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting these three cyberstalking cases on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigations leading to the Indictments in these cases. Marsico and Larivee are presumed innocent of the charge against them unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

January 2024 marked the 20th annual National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM), an annual call to action to recognize and respond to this criminal, traumatic, and dangerous victimization. This year, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania joined with others to help spread awareness about stalking through the theme “Know It, Name It, Stop It.” If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of stalking, help is available. Contact your local service provider or a national hotline:

• Victim Connect: 1-855-4VICTIM (1-855-484-2846)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−7233
• The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

Additional information and resources are available through the Stalking Prevention Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC), at www.StalkingAwareness.org, a project funded by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.