OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Diane Parris, who told KMTV in March she was a victim of revenge porn before Nebraska had a law addressing it, said she feels "vindicated."
Parris said a man who was charged in December on two federal counts is the ex that blackmailed her husband's campaign for state senator with nude photos of herself.
On Dec. 10, 2019, Dennis Sryniawski was charged with cyberstalking and interstate threats with intent to extort. He pleaded not guilty on both charges, according to federal court documents.
Jeff Parris, while running for state senator in 2018, received emails prior to the 2018 election with a nude photo of Diane, his wife and campaign manager, attached, she said. The emails threatened him to drop out of the race to represent Papillion and La Vista in the Nebraska Legislature.
Parris said Sryniawski took the photo, which she consented to. But she didn't consent to the distribution more than 20 years later.
They reported the emails to the FBI.
Diane Parris first told us her story in March. Watch Courtney John's report here.
She told a legislative committee her story in March while testifying on a revenge porn bill. That bill didn't pass, but a different one did, banning revenge porn in Nebraska. Nebraska is no longer among the few states that have not passed a revenge porn law.
"If you trust somebody, it's not your fault," Diane told KMTV at the time. "If someone turns around and stabs you in the back, it's not something that you have to blame yourself for. That is on them."
Sryniawski's cyberstalking charge carries a max penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The threats charge carries a max penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Parris said she was relieved by the charges, especially the cyberstalking charge. She said the cyberstalking charge addresses the crime against her personally, while the threats charge addresses the extortion of her husband's campaign.
"I feel empowered. Something finally happened because of what he did," Parris said.
Sryniawski was released with conditions. A court date has yet to be set.
