Cyberstalking case expands: Lee County man arrested for targeting sheriff, 14 others

The Lee County Sheriff's Office said a man accused of cyberstalking more than a dozen people, including Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes, was arrested and faces more charges after another victim came forward.

John Robert McDonald, 57, is facing two counts of felony extortion and one count of cyberstalking from Thursday's arrest. McDonald now faces a total of 15 counts of cyberstalking.

"This is an example of how we try to protect the public and ourselves from dangerous individuals, and then, they go right back on the street without getting the help they truly need," McDonald wrote in a Facebook post.

The sheriff's office said Thursday a 15th victim provided evidence of cyberstalking and extortion involving McDonald.

Deputies arrested McDonald Thursday at his home along East Harrington Avenue near Burgess Circle in Broadway.

Authorities took McDonald to the Lee County Jail under no bond.

Estes said a judge on Wednesday reduced McDonald's bond to $2,000, which was down from the initial amount of $28,000. The reduction allowed McDonald to get out of the Lee County Jail.

Lee County deputies initially arrested McDonald on Tuesday.

According to e-courts, an arrest document identified Estes as one of the victims.

"There are many other videos threatening deputies, police officers and members of our community," Estes wrote on Facebook about the charges against McDonald.

Documents said McDonald cyberstalked the sheriff "for the purpose of abusing, threatening, terrifying, harassing, or embarrassing Brian Estes."