By An alleged cyber-sicko accused of posing online as a co-ed to trick college women into sending him their nude photos has hired a top forensic shrink to prove he’s just a harmless nerd.
Chubby Hunter College student Elvin Chuang, 20, of Brooklyn, is trying to avoid a possible 16-month prison sentence on charges of identity theft, coercion, fraud and general larceny.
He’s hoping an examination by forensic psychologist N.G. Berill, scheduled for Monday, will convince a Manhattan judge that he isn’t really dangerous and shouldn’t be jailed at all.
Berill has consulted on numerous high-profile criminals, including serial killer Joel Rifkin, LIRR mass murderer Colin Ferguson and Abner Louima torture cop Justin Volpe.
“We’re hoping he’ll find my client is not a predator, but is more or less doing this as a college prank” said his lawyer Matthew Myers.
But Manhattan prosecutors want Chuang sent up the river, noting that he admits he succeeded in tricking and bullying some 50 women into sending him pictures.
Chuang allegedly worked his scheme by going online at the web site facebook.com while assuming the identity of a female friend of the would-be victim.
He’d plead for nudie pictures under the guise of needing them for an art project – then extort still more pictures by threatening to post the first ones online.
Source: New York Post – Friday, September 15 2006
Attorney for the defense: Matthew D. Myers