A former deputy U.S. marshal from Brea was convicted Thursday of framing his ex-girlfriend for sexual assault reportedly to achieve management of a apartment they bought collectively in Anaheim, the Division of Justice stated.
Michelle Hadley spent nearly three months in jail due to the scheme that Ian R. Diaz, 44, operated together with his then-wife, Angela Diaz, prosecutors stated. They posed on-line as Hadley and despatched themselves harassing and threatening messages, in line with the indictment.
Ian Diaz was convicted of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, cyberstalking perjury and obstruction of justice. He faces as much as 20 years in jail.
Angela Diaz has not been federally indicted, however she was sentenced to 5 years in state jail after pleading responsible in October 2017 to 10 felony and 22 misdemeanor fees, together with kidnapping, false imprisonment and falsely reporting a criminal offense to a peace officer, in line with the Orange County district legal professional’s workplace.
“[Ian] Diaz’s egregious actions and lies to legislation enforcement stripped a girl of her freedom and liberty,” stated Harry Lidsky, particular agent in command of the Workplace of the Inspector Normal’s cyber investigations workplace. “This type of stalking, harassment, and obstruction is unconscionable, and yesterday, the jury held Diaz accountable for his crimes.”
In line with the indictment, Diaz and his ex-girlfriend, recognized in courtroom paperwork as Jane Doe, bought the apartment in June 2015 however the pair broke up two months later. Hadley moved out however Diaz remained and commenced courting Angela in January 2016. A month later, they acquired married, in line with courtroom paperwork.
Diaz and Hadley fought over the apartment, and in Might 2016, he started conspiring together with his spouse to “to intrude with Jane Doe’s curiosity within the property,” in line with prosecutors. Utilizing pretend electronic mail and consumer accounts for web sites like Craigslist, Diaz and his spouse posed because the sufferer and despatched themselves messages with hyperlinks to images of aborted fetuses and decapitated our bodies, in line with the indictment.
“A few of the messages contained specific or implied threats to hurt” Angela Diaz, prosecutors wrote within the indictment.
The married couple additionally put private advertisements on Craigslist in an try to lure folks to go to the apartment to have interaction in a “rape fantasy” with Ian Diaz’s spouse. They might stage the encounter to look as if Hadley had employed somebody to sexually assault Diaz’s spouse.
The incidents had been reported to police and Hadley was arrested, charged and jailed for 88 days.
Hadley was exonerated by Orange County prosecutors and all fees towards her had been dismissed. Had the case gone to trial, she confronted life in jail if convicted.
“This has been an enormous nightmare for me — most likely probably the most traumatic expertise of my life,” Hadley instructed reporters in 2017 after the costs towards her had been dropped.
Within the fall of 2016, Diaz instructed legislation enforcement officers that he believed his spouse was solely accountable for framing Hadley and tried to hide his involvement within the scheme. He deleted private electronic mail accounts and adjusted his cellphone quantity, prosecutors stated.
Diaz and Angela have since divorced.
Diaz, who was indicted in Might 2021, is ready to be sentenced on June 30.
