Los Angeles, California - A San Bernardino County man was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for blackmailing female friends and acquaintances on Facebook by threatening to publish nude photographs and videos of them unless they complied with his demands of sending him additional sexually explicit images.

Jorge Esteban Sanchez Ramos, 24, of Ontario, who used a series of online aliases, including “Jose Gonzalez,” “George Sanchez” and “Jorge Ramirez,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who said, he “inflicted harm in a sadistic manner.” Sanchez Ramos pleaded guilty in June 2020 to one count of stalking.

From April 2016 to May 2018, Sanchez Ramos used multiple aliases and Facebook accounts to mask his identity while he contacted his victims, who were friends, and acquaintances from high school. The purpose of establishing these accounts was to extort nude images and videos from the victims using explicit images of the victims that Sanchez Ramos previously obtained.

Sanchez Ramos’ anonymous communications took on a variety of forms, but their substance was the same: a threat to publish nude or sexually explicit photographs of the women if they did not send him more nude photographs or videos of themselves.

On certain occasions, when the victims resisted his demands, Sanchez Ramos followed through on his threats and published sexually explicit photos of the victims on social media. If a victim blocked the Facebook account Sanchez Ramos was using to contact her, he then would create a new Facebook account and mock the victim for attempting to block him. He also threatened to rape one of the victims if she did not comply with his demands, according to court documents.

“[Sanchez Ramos] engaged in a pattern of activity spanning over two years in which he terrorized young women acquaintances,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “[He] preyed upon their insecurities, convincing them to send explicit images of themselves to [him].”

The FBI and the Pomona Police Department investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Aron Ketchel of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.