Herman Calvin Brightman, a New Jersey resident, has been sentenced to ten years in jail for stalking and assaulting several women he met online. Brightman, posing as a nurse, used social media platforms and dating apps to interact with his victims before breaking into violent outbursts, according to a news statement from the U.S Attorney’s Office.
Acting US Attorney Matthew Podolsky underscored the predatory aspect of Brightman’s acts, saying, “Herman Brightman preyed on women he met on internet dating platforms. Brightman gained his victims’ trust by posing as a nurse, after which he stalked, abused, and intimidated them. With today’s severe prison term, Brightman can no longer inflict agony or fear on his victims. I applaud the courageous women who spoke up against Brightman to ensure that he was held accountable for his crimes,” according to information received by the US Attorney’s Office.
According to court records, Brightman once brandished a knife at a mother and her kid in the Bronx, forcing them to accompany him to New Jersey. On another occasion, he allegedly assaulted a Queens lady in her own home, threatening her with a knife and attempting to bind her hands and muffle her mouth. After she stopped the relationship, he bombarded her with threatening phone calls in a series of terrifying events that lasted many days.
Victim reports give a horrifying image of Brightman’s rage, as he follows another victim from a bus stop to her home, only to abuse her when they reach. A fourth victim’s ordeal in her Bronx home included strangulation, threats of murder, and forced monitoring while showering before being saved by a friend. Brightman was sentenced to ten years in jail, plus three years of supervised release.
The hefty sentence was imposed by United States District Judge John P. Cronan. According to the same press release, the New York City Police Department was praised for its outstanding investigative efforts, which resulted in Brightman’s arrest and subsequent sentence.
