By: Richard L. Smith
A Watchung woman has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including cyber harassment and terroristic threats, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone.
Prosecutor Ciccone stated that Malina Jaffrey, 24, was charged following an investigation into a series of online harassment incidents targeting the family of a staff member from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The harassment began in July 2024, when Jaffrey allegedly used various Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts to contact and threaten the staff member’s family, including the spouse and sister.
In one communication sent in September 2024, Jaffrey reportedly threatened to kill the staff member’s spouse.
Previously, in January 2024, Jaffrey had been placed in the Pre-Trial Intervention program by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office after being charged with crimes related to the bias-intimidation of a Plainsboro resident.
Despite this, she allegedly continued her harassment campaign, conducting AI searches on the staff member and their family to facilitate her online threats.
Jaffrey was arrested on September 23, 2024, without incident. She now faces multiple charges, including three counts of cyber harassment, three counts of retaliation against a public official, three counts of stalking, one count of criminal coercion, and one count of terroristic threats.
She is currently held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center, pending a Pre-Trial Detention hearing.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact Detective Tammy Colonna of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3145.