Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Daniel Pfeiffer, 29, of Old Tappan on charges of Stalking, Invasion of Privacy, Impersonation, Cyber-Harassment, and Contempt of a Stalking Restraining Order.
The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutors Office Cyber Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, authorities say.
According to reports, during the month of April, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit received information concerning at least one, but as many as three, fictitious social media accounts on dating and romance websites/applications in the likeness of a 29-year-old victim.
Officials say that the investigation revealed that Pfeiffer used the Internet to create these accounts, impersonate the victim, and engage with strangers in such a way that encouraged them to contact the victim. In at least one case, Pfeiffer sent nude and/or sexually explicit images depicting the victim to a stranger via text message and arranged a sexual encounter while posing as the victim.
As a result of the investigation, Pfeiffer was arrested on May 29 and charged with one count of Stalking, Invasion of Privacy, Impersonation, Cyber-Harassment, and Contempt of a Stalking Restraining Order, reports say. Pfeiffer was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in court.
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella thanks the Old Tappan Police Department for their assistance, as well as the Lyndhurst Police Department and Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, which participate in the Bergen County Cyber Crimes Task Force.