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Man who threatened debt collection company employees pleads guilty, faces five years

Crystal Graham
online predator
(© Artwork Vector – Generated with AI – stock.adobe.com)

A Florida man who threatened a debt collection company located in Norfolk pleaded guilty earlier this month to sending threatening messages online.

John Muccio, 39, of Parrish, Fla., will be sentenced on March 5, 2024.

According to court documents, in April and May, Muccio, used racial slurs and threatened to kill the employees of the company and sexually assault the co-founders’ family members through the company’s Artificial Intelligence Chatbot. The company had sent letters and attempted to call Muccio about money he allegedly owed.

The FBI was able to trace the threats to Muccio at his residence in Florida.

A review of Muccio’s cell phone showed he had the company’s website bookmarked on his internet browser.

Muccio pleaded guilty to making threatening interstate communications. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Multimedia

 




Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, Crystal Graham has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of "Virginia Tonight," a nightly TV news show, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at [email protected]

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