A South Carolina couple has been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a harassment and extortion plot that authorities say led to the suicide of a Chick-fil-A employee with an intellectual disability. The case underscores the devastating consequences of cyberbullying and the challenges of prosecuting crimes targeting vulnerable individuals.
Trysten Anthony Cullon, 27, received a sentence of 3 years and 5 months, while Jade Ashlynn Stone, too 27, was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison, according to court documents. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. Also ordered both to serve three years of supervised release following their imprisonment and to pay $26,700 in restitution.
The pair admitted to conspiring to target Christopher John Tsoulos, 37, of Charlotte, North Carolina, who had an intellectual disability and worked as a greeter at a local Chick-fil-A restaurant. The scheme unfolded in September 2024, beginning when Cullon asked Tsoulos for his phone “as an act of kindness,” family members and prosecutors told the Daily Mail.
After gaining access to Tsoulos’s phone, the couple attempted to access his bank accounts and payment apps, including Cash App and PayPal. When they were unable to directly obtain money, they turned to harassment. They downloaded his contact list and began sending threatening messages to family members, falsely accusing Tsoulos of inappropriate sexual conduct and warning that they would reveal the allegations to his employer unless they received payment.
Prosecutors and the victim’s family argued that these threats devastated Tsoulos, who died by suicide on September 8, believing he would lose his job or face imprisonment.
The sentencing, handed down on March 14, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr., followed guilty pleas from both Cullon and Stone. The couple initially faced up to 45 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, extortion and cyberstalking, according to the Daily Mail. Their guilty plea to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking resulted in the reduced sentences.
Christopher Tsoulos, 37, worked as a host at the Chick-fil-A in Charlotte and relied on his family for daily support. His obituary described him as “a bright light in the lives of all who knew him.” His father, Michael Tsoulos, stated that his son was unable to understand the falsity of the accusations due to his disability. His mother, Patricia Buckingham, shared during the hearing that her son was looking forward to a family trip to Greece and enjoyed playing baseball.
The harassment campaign, lasting only from September 5 to September 8, 2024, proved fatal. Federal prosecutor Russ Ferguson condemned the couple’s actions, stating, “Cullon and Stone exploited the vulnerability of another to feed their drug addiction.” FBI Special Agent Reid Davis added, “This couple deliberately tormented a young man with an intellectual disability for personal gain.”
