Christopher John Tsoulos: Couple Sentenced After Cyberstalking Scheme Targeting Vulnerable Man Ends in Tragic Death

 

A federal court in North Carolina has sentenced two people for carrying out a cyberstalking and extortion scheme that claimed the life of a vulnerable man.

Trysten Anthony Cullon, 27, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and Jade Ashlynn Stone, 27, to 27 months after the pair had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking.

Christopher John Tsoulos, a 37-year-old man from Charlotte who had an intellectual disability and depended heavily on his family for support was the victim in this tragic case. 

The convicts organised a harassment campaign which lasted only a few days in September 2024 but had devastating consequences.

Christopher John Tsoulos 

According to court records, the deadly scheme began on September 5, 2024, at a fast-food restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Tsoulos worked as a host at Chick-fil-A.

That afternoon, Cullon approached Tsoulos at his job and asked to use his cellphone. 

After Tsoulos agreed and handed over the device, Cullon quickly used the phone to send messages to Stone, telling her to pick him up because the situation was “urgent.”

Cullon then walked out of the restaurant with the phone and returned to a vehicle where Stone was waiting in the parking lot.

The pair had already prepared for the plan earlier that day by creating a new Gmail account and a Cash App account. Because the phone was unlocked, they were able to access Tsoulos’ financial apps and bank account.

Between September 5 and September 7, Cullon and Stone tried to move money from Tsoulos’ accounts using services such as Cash App and PayPal but those attempts failed.

When they could not get money directly, the pair changed their approach, as per Law&Crime. 

Using the stolen phone, they began sending threatening text messages to Tsoulos’ family members and friends, where they made false accusations and demanded money. 

“Your son is a pervert and I'm going to let his job and everyone else in his family know that.” one message to a relative warned. 

In another, they demanded for $300 through Cash App, and they threatened to send these false accusations to Tsoulos’ employer if the payment was not made.

According to the Department Of Justice, the pair also threatened to spread claims that Tsoulos harassed women and paid for explicit photos. Prosecutors said the accusations were false but were meant to pressure the family into paying.

The harassment continued for several days, creating severe emotional distress because Tsoulos was deeply worried that the claims would cost him his job or lead to legal trouble.

On September 8, 2024, Tsoulos died by suicide outside his home in Charlotte after he fatally shot himself, and his father was the one that discovered his body the next morning.

Jade Ashlynn Stone

Trysten Anthony Cullon

Cullon Asking The Victim for His Phone

Following an investigation, Cullon and Stone were charged in federal court with conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, and both defendants later pleaded guilty.

During sentencing, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson described the case as deeply emotional for everyone involved.

“This case is heartbreaking. There was not a dry eye in the courtroom,” Ferguson said. He added that the defendants targeted a vulnerable man and used the scheme to support their drug addiction.

Judge Cogburn also addressed the seriousness of the crime during the hearing, stating that it was “a particularly egregious version of this crime, resulting in a victim killing themselves.”

In addition to their prison sentences, the court ordered Cullon and Stone to serve three years of supervised release after leaving prison, and they must also pay $26,699.65 in restitution.

More than 60 friends and family members attended the sentencing hearing in Charlotte, with others waiting outside the courtroom.

In an online obituary, loved ones remembered Tsoulos as someone who brought joy to people around him.

“Chris was a shining light in the lives of all whom he encountered,” the tribute reads. “His limitless heart extended compassion and love to everyone he met.”

Authorities say the case stands as a warning about the serious harm that online harassment and extortion can cause, especially when vulnerable people are involved.  

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