Westchester incel sentenced to 30 months in prison for stalking, threats and harassment

Gavel
Photo credit BRAD NADING/GARDEN CITY TELEGRAM / USA TODAY NETWORK

PEEKSKILL, N.Y. (1010 WINS) -- A 28-year-old Peekskill man who described himself as an incel was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison on Thursday for stalking, threatening and harassing two women.

Live On-Air
Ask Your Smart Speaker to Play ten ten wins
1010 WINS
Listen Now
Now Playing
Now Playing

David Kaufman, who sometimes used the moniker “Big Man” online, terrorized his victims in 2019 by stalking them and sending them bomb, rape and death threats using over 50 social media accounts.

Incels, a portmanteau for involuntary celibate, are members of a male supremacist internet subculture. Self-described incels have carried out high profile terror attacks against women, most notoriously Elliot Rodger’s 2014 Isla Vista massacre.

Kaufman idolized Rodger, and, in one instance, sent a photo of one of Rodger’s slain victims to one of his targets. “This is what happened when a woman said ‘no’ to Elliot Rodger . . . . Hopefully [victim’s name] never said no to someone just like Elliot Rodger.”

Kaufman made social media accounts impersonating the women he obsessed over, surveilled one of his victims’ homes and researched how to obtain a weapon online.

Law enforcement warned him to stop the harassment, and a restraining order legally barred him from contacting his victims, but he persisted in terrorizing them.

In addition to the 30 month sentence, the federal court ordered three years supervised release.

“[Kaufman] expressed his hatred of women by terrorizing and harassing his victims though threats of violence,” said prosecuting attorney Damian Williams. “The Court’s sentence sends a clear message to the public that perpetrators of violence against women will be held accountable for their crimes.”

Featured Image Photo Credit: BRAD NADING/GARDEN CITY TELEGRAM / USA TODAY NETWORK