Cyberstalker Gets Prison Time For Threatening Federal Judge

LOS ANGELES, CA — A man from the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles was sentenced Friday to four years behind bars for sending dozens of emails to a New Jersey state court judge that threatened him with violence and death.

Jonathan Lipman, 36, was found guilty in May in downtown Los Angeles of one federal count of stalking.

Evidence presented during a three-day trial showed Lipman sent dozens of emails to the New Jersey Superior Court judge, intending to harass, intimidate and terrorize the jurist.

In addition to sending threatening emails, Lipman tracked down the judge's home address and called a neighbor to stoke fear in the victim. The jury also heard that Lipman left numerous voicemails at the New Jersey courthouse directed at the victim.

Officials gave no indication of Lipman's possible motivation for stalking the judge, whose name was not revealed.

The defendant continued stalking the judge despite a warning from law enforcement regarding his illegal conduct. Over time, Lipman's communications became increasingly graphic and explicit. For example, in July 2023, Lipman sent the victim multiple emails detailing his graphic depictions of the jurist's death, according to the Justice Department.

City News Service