On June 13, 2025, a federal jury found Brian Thomas Balda, a 52-year-old from Oregon, guilty of cyberstalking and interstate stalking. The verdict came after a four-day trial overseen by U.S. District Court Judge Angela M. Martinez. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for September 4, 2025.
Between 2023 and 2024, Balda was involved in an intimidation campaign against a former United States government official. Over approximately ten months, he sent abusive text messages and voicemails to the victim. He traveled from Oregon to Arizona intending to confront the victim but was arrested near the victim’s residence. At the time of his arrest, authorities found four knives, binoculars, and a replica handgun in his vehicle.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office led the investigation with support from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the University of Arizona Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson prosecuted the case.
