Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Stacy R. Caruvana (47, Rockledge) to six months in federal prison for falsifying records with intent to obstruct and influence a federal investigation. The court further sentenced Caruvana to one year of supervised release.
Caruvana had pleaded guilty on June 11, 2021.
According to court documents, between May 2018 and May 2019, Caruvana attempted to frame a NASA employee to make it appear that he had harassed and threatened to kill her. First, Caruvana sent an “anonymous” letter to the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) falsely alleging that the NASA employee was engaged in various types of misconduct. In addition, Caruvana purchased a second cell phone and sent threatening text messages to her own cell phone from the second cell phone, following which she falsely reported to law enforcement that the threatening messages had been sent by the NASA employee. During the course of the ensuing NASA OIG investigation, Caruvana falsified emails purporting to be from the victim’s NASA email account to make it appear that he was threatening her, following which Caruvana submitted these falsified emails to a NASA OIG agent. Caruvana also made multiple statements to the NASA OIG agent in which she falsely claimed that the NASA employee was still calling and threatening her. NASA OIG subsequently executed a search warrant at Caruvana’s residence. Evidence from a computer at the residence showed that Caruvana had fabricated the emails that she sent to NASA OIG.
“I am extremely proud of the exceptional work by our agents and law enforcement partners in rooting out the malicious and damaging false claims made by the subject, and in doing so protecting the integrity of the agency and the NASA workforce,” said NASA OIG Central Field Office Special Agent in Charge Curtis Vaughn.
This case was investigated by the NASA Office of Inspector General and the Rockledge Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.
