A Pierce County man who admitted putting together a sophisticated “revenge porn” plot aimed at his former girlfriend got a shorter prison sentence than prosecutors and the victims had asked for.
Michael Andrew Hart pleaded guilty to charges he sent sexually explicit pictures and video of a woman, identified only by her initials, S.C., to all her friends and family members through Facebook.
Pierce County prosecuting attorney Dru Swaim asked the court to sentence Hart to nine years in prison. S.C. begged the judge for even more time behind bars.
“Please let this be among the 1 percent of times that you sentence above the prosecutor’s request,” S.C. said to the court. “If any case deserves it, it’s this one.”
A long relationship between Hart and S.C. ended in 2014, when Hart went to prison for assault, domestic violence and a number of other charges after what S.C. described as years of abuse. When he was released in late 2015, Hart plotted revenge against her.
Using a fake Facebook account and sophisticated methods, including virtual private networks to cover his tracks, Hart sent the explicit pictures of S.C. to everyone on her Facebook friend list, and many of their contacts, over a period of several days beginning in February 2016.
The pictures had been taken while Hart and S.C. were still living together. Some of the photos had been taken with S.C.'s consent and others were taken after she was drugged with a combination of Ambien and alcohol.
Hart also sent sexually explicit pictures of S.C.'s sister and a close friend after drugging them both.
The friend tearfully told the court Hart had ruined her life, and her friendship with S.C.
“Michael Hart set out for revenge and sent those nude photos to my family, my friends and to my husband’s work,” the woman told the court.
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Karena Kirkendoll chose a sentence of seven years, along with drug and domestic violence counseling, agreeing with a defense argument that Hart is severely mentally ill.
Kirkendoll rejected the prosecution's request for nine years behind bars, saying that would mean the 44-year-old Hart wouldn't get the treatment she believes he needs.
“This is a scenario that can only lead to further victims in the long run,” Kirkendoll said.
Hart was sentenced under the state’s new revenge porn law, the first time it’s been used in Pierce County, after pleading guilty to four counts of violation of a domestic violence court order, stalking, and cyberstalking.
Kirkendoll suspended his sentence for six counts of disclosing intimate images, and warned Hart if he violated court orders to stay away from his victims and their families after his release he would face one year for each count, or six more years in prison.
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