Las Vegas Woman Convicted of Cyberstalking Federal Judges

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A tense courtroom scene associated with a cyberstalking conviction.

News Summary

Latonia Smith, a Las Vegas resident, has been convicted of cyberstalking after making death threats against two federal judges and her probation officer. This follows her previous conviction for sending threats related to her mother’s job termination. Smith’s actions, which included disturbing online searches and threatening communications, raised significant safety concerns among legal officials. She faces a maximum penalty of 15 years for the three counts of cyberstalking.

Las Vegas – Latonia Smith, a 31-year-old resident of Las Vegas, has been convicted of cyberstalking after threatening two federal judges and her probation officer. This conviction follows a previous legal case where she was found guilty of sending death threats to lawyers involved in her mother’s firing from Planet Hollywood.

Smith’s latest conviction stems from her actions between September 30, 2018, and October 1, 2019, during which she sent anonymous letters that contained threats of violence directed at her mother’s former supervisors and attorneys. These threats were connected to her mother’s termination in 2017, which occurred due to allegations of theft from a guest’s room. Smith was arrested on November 1, 2019, and subsequently charged with five counts of sending threatening communications through the U.S. Mail. A jury convicted her on these counts in April 2021, resulting in a 36-month sentence in federal prison.

Upon her release, Smith was confronted with additional legal troubles stemming from an alleged armed home invasion on October 31, 2019. This incident involved a lawyer associated with the Planet Hollywood case. After being granted bail in June 2022, Smith’s behavior escalated as she began searching the internet for personal information about Judge Richard Boulware, Judge Jennifer Dorsey, and Dorsey’s probation officer. Searches included alarming phrases such as “judges die,” “how to become a bomb maker,” and “how to be a mass shooter.”

Her actions included sending a disturbing email to her probation officer. In this communication, Smith shared a link to a YouTube video depicting the Las Vegas mass shooting along with a threatening message. Witnesses in the case testified that they perceived Smith as a serious risk, with one stating a strong need to protect their family due to her threats. Judge Dorsey recounted that after an email from Smith referencing her home, she felt compelled to sell her property and move for safety reasons.

In response to Smith’s threats, U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro notified the U.S. Marshals, who contacted the FBI to undertake a detailed investigation. On June 27, 2022, the FBI interviewed Smith and subsequently arrested her that same day. On June 24, 2025, a federal jury found her guilty on three counts of cyberstalking; each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. While the trial was overseen by Senior District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman, the prosecution was conducted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California following a recusal by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

As legal proceedings continue, sentencing for Smith’s most recent conviction has not yet been scheduled. The case has raised significant concerns regarding safety and the implications of cyberstalking for those involved in the legal process.