Niskayuna Police Department

One Niskayuna Circle Niskayuna, N.Y. 12309

Det. Sgt. Daniel M. McManus

Media Relations Officer Bus: (518) 386-4598

MEDIA RELEASE
The office of the Chief of Police has authorized the release of the following information. A joint investigation between the Niskayuna Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Albany Cyber Crime Unit and the Schenectady County District Attorneys Office has concluded. The investigation was a result of the reported Aggravated Harassment involving area youths being referenced in several YouTube videos. The content of the videos caused them to feel threatened. The youths initially reported their concerns about the first video to administrators at the Niskayuna High School on 10/27/11. The police were contacted immediately and filed an investigative report. School administrators were made aware of a second video regarding the same victims and again contacted police. Through the use of subpoenas and other investigative resources, the local investigation took a direction out of the United States and into Canada where the FBI, with assistance from the Ontario Provincial Police, identified a suspect. The suspect is a minor aged female and resides in Ontario, Canada. Through the investigation, it has been determined that there was no prior connection between the suspect and the youths mentioned in the videos, the Niskayuna High School or the larger community. This incident began when the suspect, using a certain anonymous chat forum, observed postings of one of the youths, and based on similar interests began to follow that youth within the confines of the chat forum. Based on the youths chats with other individuals, the suspect realized there was some type of fight taking place over the chat site. The suspect, through use of the internet, produced and posted these videos on YouTube where her sole intent was to enhance the fight and keep it going. Based on their on-line posts, the suspect had been able to collect enough personal information on the youths to make the videos appear to be made by someone they knew. Due to the nature of the crime, the age of the suspect and her location, no charges are being filed locally. The incident is being resolved in Canada. These videos not only impacted each of the youths, but as word of the videos spread, the impact was felt on a larger scale. We continue to stress the importance of being careful when putting out personal information over any social network or the internet. This case illustrates the ease in which third parties, known or otherwise, can use that information for illegitimate purposes.