By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 20 – With the name of the targeted CEO not public, on September 1, 2022 the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced
"the unsealing of a three-count Indictment charging defendant SAKOYA BLACKWOOD with interstate communications with the intent to extort, cyberstalking, and extortion. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman."
On September 1 Judge Furman held an arraignment and bail proceeding. With exhibits still withheld in full, a detention letter was filed, on Patreon here. Inner City Press went and live tweeted it here and below.
After the proceeding, the prosecutors filed a redacted copy of the defendant's various IDs, including licenses from NYS, Arizona and California (and an NYC ID with address in Brooklyn - a mail drop - redacted) -- and a Mount Sinai doctor's ID and pass, in the unredacted name "Jessica Bottomly, M.D." How did Mount Sinai allow this? How did this doctor treat? And, of course, who are the CEO(s)?
For now, we noted that Sakoya Blackwood (Fews) appears as a 2006 graduate of Evander Childs High School in The Bronx.
On February 3, 2023 Blackwood's counsel filed a motion to dismiss, to suppress evidence from her Facebook account - but all seven exhibits are unilaterally filed under seal.
On March 28, Blackwood pled guilty. Inner City Press there, and afterward tweeted:
PLEA DEAL: Blackwood just pled guilty, 30 month deal, to cyber stalking unnamed CEO with threats to make sex photos public.
AUSA Hobson said the victim had been notified of the plea, and might - might - testify at the sentencing
More on Substack here
On July 5, 2023, Blackwood's sentencing memo recounted her marriage at 18 to an abusive older man, and her likely deportation to Jamaica. It asked for a sentence of time served, 11 months.
On July 19, docketed July 20, Judge Furman gave Blackwood a time served stentence: "JUDGMENT IN A CRIMINAL CASE as to Sakoya Blackwood. Date of Imposition of Judgment: 7/19/2023. The defendant pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment. Imprisonment: TIME SERVED ; Supervised Release: 3 YEARS; Special Assessment: $100 due immediately. (Signed by Judge Jesse M. Furman on 7/19/2023)."
Back on September 1, 2022: Judge Furman: We're here for arraignment and bail appeal.
Blackwood: I plead not guilty. Judge: Have you notified Victim-1?
AUSA Bracewell: Yes, Victim-1's lawyer...We've seized laptops and tablets. AUSA: There was a post arrest interview, it was recorded on video. She then invoked... Her messages were saved on Google.
Federal Defender: There are 12 seized devices. Judge: Motions by Nov 18. US by Dec 8. Next here on Nov 22, 11 am. Now on bail. [It is US appealing]
AUSA: She used different identities...
AUSA: She uses VOIP, her cell is in her mother's name, the IP address in her brother's. She has no legal status. She was in Californis representing herself as a pediatrician
AUSA: She was operating off the grid in a unique way. She is a flight risk. We are asking to seal our exhibits.
AUSA: All she needs to continue is an Internet connection. FD: We agree with Judge Willis that she should be released. Pre-Trial mis-wrote their report. She is a domestic violence victim.
FD: She gets child support. Judge: What about the Brooklyn address on her NYC ID?
FD: It's a mail drop. It's related to intimate partner violence, to receive confidential mail. Judge: If she lives in The Bronx, why is the mail drop in Brooklyn?
FD: Brooklyn is unknown to her abuser. She is trying to get a green card. She has no ties in Jamaica. Judge: It seems her family either didn't know she was getting mail in other people's names or didn't care.
FD: Making fake profiles is easy. The US does it to entrap [short eyes]. She didn't use TOR.
[Judge Furman knows of TOR from the Joshua Schulte Wikileaks Vault 7 trial ("Brutal Kangaroo" book here).
Judge: If convicted, she would be deported to Jamaica. Here's my ruling: there's an overwhelming case for detention. The incentive to flee, inclination to impersonate, etc. She will be detained.
On November 9: "MEMO ENDORSEMENT as to Sakoya Blackwood on [19] Letter re Adjournment Request: Application GRANTED. Motions are due January 6, 2023, with the Government's opposition due by January 20, 2023, and replies due on January 27, 2023. The pretrial conference is ADJOURNED to January 31, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. (The parties should not expect another adjournment.) SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Jesse M. Furman on 11/9/2022)."
But despite the "parties should not expect another adjournment," on December 15 counsel assigned to Blackwood wrote in requesting to make motions due February 2, "with a trial scheduled for July, if convenient for the Court."
On December 16, Judge Furman "somewhat begrudgingly" endorsed: "ENDORSEMENT...The application is (somewhat grudgingly) granted. Motions are due February 2, 2023, with the Government's opposition due by February 17, 2023, and any reply due by February 24, 2023. The pretrial conference (at which the Court will set a firm trial date) is ADJOURNED to March 2, 2023, at 3:00 p.m."
Inner City Press was there on March 2. Judge Furman set the trial date for June 26, a date he called firm unless there is a disposition or he grants the pending motion to dismiss the indictment. Blackwood is still in detention; two Marshals led her out. Watch this site.
The case is US v. Blackwood, 22-cr-460 (Furman)
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