LOS ANGELES (CN) - A Chicago-area stalker was sentenced Monday to 2½ years in federal prison for taking nude photos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews through a peephole in a hotel and posting them on the Internet. Michael David Barrett, 49, of Westmont, Ill., also was ordered to pay $7,366 in restitution to Andrews.
Barrett pleaded guilty in December to interstate stalking with the intent to harass. He admitted he stalked Andrews for 18 months, and tracked her to at least three hotel rooms in three states.
"Barrett made the videos after removing the peephole device from the door in one of the hotel rooms and using his mobile phone to capture video of Ms. Andrews while she was naked," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
"In January 2009, TMZ.com was offered the opportunity to purchase the nude videos via email messages, an offer that the celebrity Web site immediately declined. Barrett subsequently posted 10 of the videos on the Internet, identifying Ms. Andrews as the victim."
In requesting prison time for the stalker, prosecutors told the judge that Barrett posted another 32 videos on the Internet, depicting 16 "as-yet-unidentified victims."
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday.
Additional Reads
-
Man who blackmailed R. Kelly victim sentenced to prison November 17, 2022 -
Slenderman stabbing teen to be released from state custody September 10, 2021
