Jason Michael Leidel, an active duty U.S. naval officer from Silver Spring, has been charged with cyberstalking, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy in connection with a campaign to harass his ex-wife, according to the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland.
His girlfriend, Sarah Elizabeth Sorg, of Silver Spring, who is an attorney with the Department of Transportation, faces the same charges of aggravated identity theft, fraud related to a protected computer, cyberstalking and conspiracy to commit cyberstalking.
The criminal complaint was filed Oct. 17 and unsealed Thursday when the two were arrested.
According to court documents, Leidel married his wife in 2005 and has served in the military since 2003. The couple separated in 2018.
According to an affidavit, since their separation, “Leidel has engaged in an ongoing and extensive scheme to harass his ex-wife, interfere with court proceedings relating to domestic relations issues, and perpetrate fraud” in Montgomery County courts. He is accused of using fraudulent email accounts and phone numbers that purported to be from his ex-wife.
This resulted in criminal charges to be filed against her, problems with her job and interference with her personal life, according to a DOJ news release. He also allegedly sent emails that attempted to portray his ex-wife as a mentally unstable parent so that he could gain custody of their two children.
According to the news release, Sorg lived with Leidel in Virginia and was aware of information that linked him to the fraudulent accounts and allegedly assisted him in the harassment.
If convicted, they each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and for cyberstalking; a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft; and one year in federal prison for fraud related to a protected computer.
— US Attorney Maryland (@USAO_MD) October 20, 2022
