Athens Woman Sentenced to 18 Months for Cyberstalking and Threats

Kaila Marie Morris, 30, of Athens, Georgia, received an 18-month prison sentence on May 15, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee for cyberstalking and threat offenses.

The sentence covers two counts: cyberstalking under 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2) and transmitting threats in interstate commerce under 18 U.S.C. § 875(c). Morris must serve three years of supervised release after prison and pay a $5,000 fine in addition to restitution. The court ordered her to have no contact with the victims.

The offenses affected at least two victims who received repeated electronic communications containing explicit threats of violence. One victim reported fearing for personal safety and that of family members after Morris sent messages across state lines via social media and email platforms.

The exact number of messages is not specified in the release, but prosecutors documented a pattern spanning multiple months that required law enforcement intervention.

Prior to sentencing Morris remained free on bond. The new judgment places her in immediate federal custody to begin the term. The three-year supervised release period begins upon release from prison and includes restrictions on internet use and proximity to victims. Restitution covers documented costs incurred by victims for security measures and counseling.

The sentence activates standard federal procedures for threat cases: the Bureau of Prisons must designate a facility within 30 days, the U.S. Probation Office will prepare a post-release plan, and any violation of supervised release conditions can return Morris to prison for additional time.

The case also updates the public record on enforcement of cyberstalking statutes passed by Congress in 2009 and expanded in 2013.

This marks the latest conviction obtained by the Middle District of Tennessee in cases involving interstate electronic threats. The Department of Justice has pursued similar charges in more than a dozen cyberstalking matters nationwide since 2023 under the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization provisions that strengthened penalties for repeated online harassment.