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Former eBay employee gets 1 year in prison for conspiracy to harass


A former employee of eBay Inc. was sentenced on Tuesday to a year behind bars for her role in a harassment plot targeting online newsletter creators that included the delivery of live spiders, bloody pig masks and other worthy items. other concerns to their home.

Stephanie Popp, 34, of Louisville, Kentucky, who was eBay’s senior director of global intelligence, was sentenced to prison in Boston federal court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to use the internet and witness ​conspiracy allegations.

Stephanie Stockwell, 28, of Redwood City, California, a former manager of eBay’s Global Intelligence Center, was also convicted Tuesday for her role in the scheme, but avoided sitting time. prison. She was ordered to serve two years of probation, with the first year confined to home.

They were among seven former eBay employees who pleaded guilty in a scheme to target a Massachusetts couple – David and Ina Steiner – who angered eBay executives by covering the company in the release. their news, eCommerceBytes.

Stockwell and Popp reported to James Baugh, the former senior director of safety and security, who authorities say is the head of the plan.

Baugh was sentenced last month to nearly five years in prison. Another eBay executive who pleaded guilty in the case, David Harville, was sentenced to two years in prison.

Authorities said eBay employees – at Baugh’s direction – sent anonymous harassing and sometimes threatening messages on Twitter criticizing eBay’s level of coverage. The couple then began receiving unsettling deliveries at their home, including live insects and a funeral wreath.

At one point, Baugh recruited Harville to accompany him to Massachusetts to spy on the pair, authorities said. According to prosecutors, they went to the couple’s home hoping to install a GPS tracking device, but the garage was locked, so Harville purchased the tools with the plan to break in.

Prosecutors have called Popp one of the “most sinful participants” in the scheme. She was involved in all aspects of the harassment campaign and “knew the full extent and effect of it on victims of harassment,” prosecutors wrote in court documents. .

Prosecutors did not seek jail time for Stockwell, describing her as one of the least guilty. Prosecutors said that while she was involved in planning and sending the packages, she did not participate in anonymous Twitter messages.

Stockwell’s attorney said in court papers that Baugh manipulated, “terrorized and threatened” her and others he supervised. Stockwell’s attorney said all of her actions were carried out “at the direction or manipulation of Baugh”, but she “never wavered from sincere remorse for participating in the outrageous conspiracy”. this bag.”

Stockwell’s attorney wrote: “The seeds of the tragedy that broke out at eBay that caused havoc, heartache and fear” for the victims “were spread from the strange, unorthodox and straight-forward work environment.” Baugh’s frank, inappropriate and dangerous”.

Popp’s attorney declined to comment on Tuesday. An email seeking comment was sent to Stockwell’s attorney.

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