Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking South Carolina FBI Agent
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty to cyberstalking a South Carolina FBI agent, part of a disturbing online scheme that included threats of violence, solicitation of attacks, and attempts to conceal digital evidence, according to federal prosecutors.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina announced Wednesday that 31-year-old Scott Tardy, a former corrections officer at a Connecticut detention facility, entered a guilty plea to cyberstalking, obstruction of justice, and providing false statements to the FBI.
Online Threats Included Firebombing, Targeting Family
In February, Tardy allegedly used the messaging platform Kik under the username connecticut12345 to join an anti-law enforcement group chat, where he repeatedly posted about targeting a specific FBI agent based in South Carolina and the agent’s spouse.
According to WBTV, Tardy shared photos of the agent’s spouse, home address, and street name, and suggested committing acts of violence including throwing a Molotov cocktail into the agent’s bedroom while they slept.
Shifted to More Secure Platform to Plan Further Harm
Prosecutors said Tardy later moved the conversation to Telegram, believing it was a more secure messaging platform. There, under the username slimybanana, he escalated threats, talking about having the victim “ruined, destroyed, and tortured for days.”
Tardy also shared a map of the agent’s home and asked other users how long it would take them to reach the location.
Attempted Cover-Up Fails After FBI Raid
Following a search warrant at Tardy’s Massachusetts apartment, he initially denied using either Kik or Telegram, denied responsibility for the posts, and claimed ignorance of the threats. He later wiped his phone and obtained a new device from Apple, officials said.
However, investigators successfully recovered key evidence, including the map of the agent’s home and data linking him to both messaging platforms.
Potential Sentence and Supervision
Tardy now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. If sentenced to prison, he will also face five years of federal supervision after his release. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
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