Feds: South Carolina Duo Harassed and Sextorted Family of Intellectually Disabled Man
Feds accuse Trysten Anthony Cullen and Jade Ashlynn Stone of extorting and stalking a vulnerable victim and his family. Photo credit: York County Sheriff (left) and Charleston County Sheriff (right).
If found guilty, Cullon and Stone face a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison.
Allegedly Threatened and Cyberstalked Intellectually Disabled Victim
Between Sept. 5 and Sept. 8, 2024, Cullon and Stone sent threatening text messages and cyberstalked a victim with an intellectual disability and his family, according to the allegations published in an indictment obtained by The Daily Muck. The victim, identified in court documents as C.T., ultimately committed suicide as a result of Cullon and Stone’s harassment, prosecutors say.
Due to his disability, C.T. had to be supported by his close family and couldn’t live on his own. He was employed at a fast-food restaurant in Charlotte, N.C.
First They Allegedly Stole His Phone
The harassment began on Sept. 5, when Cullon asked to use C. T.’s phone inside the restaurant where C.T. worked, according to the indictment. He sent a text message to Stone asking her to pick him up, claiming it was urgent. Prosecutors say he left the restaurant with the phone instead of returning it to C.T.
About an hour later, C. T.’s mother sent the following text message to the stolen phone:
“To the person that has this phone please return it to (C.T.) at Chick-fil-A or a manager there. (C.T.) is very upset and management is trying to help him get it back. This is his mother.”
Then Came the Alleged Extortion
Two days later, the response came in the shape of a harrowing text message to C.T.’s mother’s phone from his phone.
“Your son is a pervert and I’m going to let his job and everyone else in his family know that,” the message said. “How dare he work at a Christian establishment while he is going to brothels and asking hundreds of women online to have sex. Unless you want me to ruin him and embarrass you I suggest you provide some compensation. He will lose everything. The things I saw were disgusting and disturbing.”
Later, they sent similar messages to C.T.’s brother, from who they requested $300.
Transferred Money from Phone Accounts
Prosecutors say Stone and Cullon didn’t stop at threats and extortion. They also used C.T.’s phone to drain money from his accounts, transferring funds from his PayPal, CashApp and bank account to themselves, labeling the transactions as rent, gas and car payments.
On Sept. 8, the case took a tragic turn when C.T. took his own life after suffering emotional distress. The family of C.T. shared messages with him, which led to him saying, according to Charlotte Observer, that he “feared he would get fired or arrested” one day before taking his own life.
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