CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte family said they finally felt a sense of justice Thursday after two people were sentenced in federal court for cyberstalking and extorting a Chick-fil-A employee who later died by suicide.
Christopher Tsoulos’ family believes he was targeted because he had autism and other mental challenges. They also said the threats left him terrified he would lose his job or go to jail.
[ READ MORE: 2 plead guilty to cyberstalking following death of victim ]
Family and friends packed the federal courthouse in Uptown Charlotte Thursday where his cyberstalkers were sentenced.
Christopher Tsoulos was a friendly, outgoing man, who loved to work at Chick-fil-A.
However, it was there where two people he didn’t know targeted him because of his mental disability.
“That’s all he wanted to do is make you happy and proud of him,” Tsoulos’ mother, Patti Buckingham, said.
Surveillance pictures from the Rivergate Chick-fil-A in September 2024 show Trysten Cullon asking Tsoulos to use his cellphone and then using Cash App to try to transfer money from his account.
Cullon then stole the phone and worked with his getaway driver, Jade Stone, to try to transfer more money.
“We tried to keep him under wraps just so evil people wouldn’t get to him, and they still did,” Buckingham said.
His parents said he became very upset with himself when he realized his phone had been stolen, thinking he did something wrong.
His family texted his phone asking the thief to give it back but that’s when things got worse.
Cullon and Stone responded and threatened to “expose Chris as a pervert” unless the family gave them $300.
“Unfortunately, Chris’ mind just couldn’t handle it,” his mother said.
His family said he couldn’t logically comprehend the crime and was terrified he’d lose his job or even go to jail.
Tsoulos’ father woke up a few days after the phone was stolen to find that his son had died by suicide.
“I miss him,” his father, John Tsoulos, said. “I miss him very much. I wish they would bring him back, but they are not going to bring him back.”
Cullon and Stone previously pleaded guilty to cyberstalking.
A federal judge on Thursday called this a “very serious” extortion case and sentenced Cullon to 41 months in prison.
Stone was sentenced to 27 months.
The family said nothing will be enough, because nothing will bring Tsoulos back.
VIDEO: Teen with autism fulfills dream as honorary captain at ACC Championship
This browser does not support the video element.