Buzz
For most people, Facebook is a stream of photos, weather chats, and motivational quotes. (At least that's what it is on my feed; maybe yours is more thrilling.) But occasionally, Facebook status updates take a turn for the bizarre. And by 'bizarre,' I mean 'criminal.' Here are ten such examples.
1. Anthony Elonis learned of his wife's infidelity and, after she left, he began posting terrifying content on Facebook. These posts were reported to authorities in Lehigh Valley and the FBI, including threats to his estranged wife, a former employer who fired him, an FBI agent, and most alarmingly, a plot to harm schoolchildren: “Hell hath no fury like a crazy man in a kindergarten class.” Elonis argued that these were just rap lyrics he had written, but the jury disagreed. He was convicted, facing up to 20 years in prison (as decided in January 2012) for four counts of violating the interstate communications law, which prohibits threatening messages sent across state lines.
2. Keeley Houghton harassed Emily Moore for four years—damaging her property and physically attacking her with two friends. However, it was a Facebook status that ultimately led to Houghton's arrest. After posting a death threat aimed at Moore on her own wall, Houghton became the first person in the UK to be jailed for online bullying. She was sentenced to three months in prison in 2009.
3. "Has any1 else eva thought bout strappin a bomb on n walk n a police department n blowin da (expletive) up." If you've ever had this thought, it’s probably best to keep it off Facebook. Montigo Arrington from Tarrant, Alabama, didn't. After he clicked 'Post,' Jefferson County deputies were tipped off and arrived at his home, where they allegedly found child pornography on his computer. Arrington's bail was set at $20,000. A deputy had some solid advice for would-be offenders: “Don’t post something stupid on the Internet for everyone to see, especially a direct threat to law enforcement.”
4. Hazel Cunningham was receiving income support, housing benefits, and council tax benefits, claiming to be a single parent and unemployed. However, a city investigator noticed her Facebook page was filled with photos of Cunningham vacationing in Turkey with her children and attending an extravagant wedding in Barbados (to a husband she claimed not to have). As a result, Cunningham received a 120-day prison sentence and was ordered to repay the £15,000 she had fraudulently claimed from taxpayers.
5. Never post online that you've kidnapped someone… especially if you haven't. Douglas Martin of Riverdale, IL did just that, and the police were tipped off by a concerned acquaintance. No kidnapped woman was found; the posts were apparently “part of a creative writing project,” but the heroin residue, marijuana, and bathroom covered in white powder were all too real. Martin was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
6. The London riots may not have been the best time to create a Facebook event calling for a similar riot in your own town, but two teens did just that, inviting others to a 'Smash down in Northwich Town.' Unfortunately for Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan and Jordan Blackshaw, only the police showed up. They were each sentenced to four years in prison for inciting public disorder via social media; both plan to appeal.
7. Inspired by the film Shank, where gangs take over London, a teen posted a series of updates urging his Facebook friends to 'kill a million Fedz' and even requested items for a looting spree. His post 'Rioting 2nyt anyone want anything from Flannels?' earned Amed Pelle 33 months in jail.
8. Craig 'Lazie' Lynch escaped from a minimum-security prison where he was serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery, nearly a year before his scheduled release. Instead of keeping a low profile like most fugitives, Lynch became the 'Facebook Fugitive,' posting defiant updates to authorities, gathering over 40,000 fans, and even inspiring a theme song (NSFW). The media frenzy surrounding his four-month manhunt was fueled by Lynch's Facebook posts daring the police to 'do what they’re payed [sic] for.' He was recaptured by Scotland Yard in January 2010, and his Facebook page was subsequently deleted.
9. During a Scottish Cup replay, Stephen Birrell posted 'religiously and racially motivated comments' about Catholics and Celtic fans in a Facebook group named 'Neil Lennon Should Be Banned.' His comments, mostly focused on killing Catholics, were classified as a hate crime and deemed 'unacceptable in modern Scotland' by the country's solicitor general. He was sentenced to eight months in prison. Additionally, Birrell was banned from attending any football events for five years.
10. It’s common for hunters to share photos of their catch, but if you’re violating state hunting laws, you might want to think twice before posting online. Brandon Lowry of Norco, LA, was cited by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries after he posted pictures on Facebook of himself with 64 ducks—well above the allowed eight ducks during teal season. If convicted, Lowry could face fines ranging from $400 to $950, up to 120 days in jail, or both.
