37-year-old computer programmer David Dorsett has pleaded guilty to threatening websites that posted criticism of attorney Brad Pistotnik.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Dorsett pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Wichita to two counts of making extortionate threats via the internet.
In his plea, He admitted that he contacted Pistotnik in September of 2014 offering reputation management services. Pistotnik met with Dorsett and showed him postings on the internet that Pistotnik wanted removed, including a Kansas Supreme Court disciplinary opinion for Pistotnik and a negative consumer review.
Emails between the two showed Postnik saying, “Any luck removing that bad website I showed you?” and “tell me how we get rid of it.” Dorsett sent a barrage of emails to the websites Leagle.com and RipoffReport.com.
The U.S Attorney says the emails said in part, “If you don’t remove it we will begin targeting your advertisers and explain that this will stop happening to them once they pull their ads…” Dorsett then billed Pistotnik, who paid him by check that day.
Pistotnik reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty last week to three misdemeanor counts of accessory after the fact. He was ordered to pay $375,000 fine, $55,200 in restitution, and to pay $300 to the Crime Victims Fund, but did not receive any jail or probation time.
Sentencing for Dorsett is scheduled for January 6. He faces up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count.
