DALLAS — A Maryland man blames post-traumatic stress from his overseas military service for impelling him to send a Newsweek reporter a Twitter image intended to trigger an epileptic seizure.
Federal officials arrested 29-year-old John Rayne Rivello, of Salisbury, Maryland, on Friday on an interstate domestic violence charge.
The criminal complaint was filed in Dallas in December by Kurt Eichenwald, a Newsweek reporter with epilepsy who lives in the area.
Prosecutors say Rivello sent a strobe image to Eichenwald’s Twitter account intended to trigger a seizure. Included with the image was the message: “You deserve a seizure for your posts.”
The image, which did trigger a seizure, was apparently sent in response to Eichenwald’s outspoken criticism of then-President-elect Donald Trump.
In a statement Tuesday, Rivello says he apologized to Eichenwald and is seeking counseling. The charge still stands.
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