AKRON, Ohio — A Ravenna man whose crimes were previously profiled by 3News Investigates will spend more than a decade in prison for multiple sexual offenses against women and young girls.
Andrew "Andy" Drabic, 33, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of cyberstalking, attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and interstate communication with intent to extort. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John R. Adams sentenced him to more than 12 years behind bars along with 15 years of probation upon his release.
"It takes great courage for victims to come forward and report coercive behavior and predatory tactics to law enforcement," First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Michelle M. Baeppler said in a statement. "Because these victims came forward, this defendant was brought to justice, a minor was prevented from further harm, and our communities and children are now safer."
Prosecutors say between November of 2019 and September of 2021, Drabic used "social engineering" to illegally access victims' social media accounts and steal images before eventually obtaining private pictures and written communications. He would then use these materials to blackmail his victims by threatening to release them, and in some cases he did just that.
One of his victims was Becca Folta, who recounted her experiences to 3News Investigates last August. Folta said she met Drabic online while preparing for college and struck up a friendship, but eventually she left his apartment crying. Drabic later anonymously stalked and threatened her repeatedly.
"His big thing that he always said would be, like, you know, trust. It was always trust," she recalled at the time. "If you broke his trust or if you lied to him, he would not be quiet about it."
Further investigation revealed Drabic had similarly harassed and exploited several others, including at least one girl as young as 13. A search of Drabic's electronic devices apparently found multiple sexually explicit messages between Drabic and the teen girl, and on more than one occasion Drabic either asked for or sent explicit photographs.
A federal grand jury indicted Drabic in March of 2022 and he pleaded guilty months later. In a recorded statement, he admitted most of the accusations were true and blamed his behavior on a mental condition known as rejection sensitive dysphoria.
Drabic's crimes went far beyond Portage County, with police departments in Akron, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Kent, Stow, Tallmadge, and even Cedar Point assisting the FBI in its investigation. FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen wrote:
"This defendant used deceptive tactics to extort and blackmail numerous victims throughout Northeast Ohio and sexually exploited a minor. The investigative work of the FBI underscores our duty to protect children from monstrous individuals' determined to control others through manipulation and cyber stalking. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local partners to find, identify, and investigate predatory behavior and bring justice to the victims of these horrendous crimes."
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