A U.S. Marine staff sergeant and his family are dealing with threats after being mistakenly served a lawsuit meant for another person involved in the alleged 2024 gang rape at Cornell University.
On September 26, Victoria Ingalls answered a knock at her door in New York and received a 101-page lawsuit that was intended for someone else who shares her son’s name, 23-year-old Staff Sergeant Matthew Ingalls. But, it turns out, her son had never attended Cornell University and was on active duty as a Marine when the alleged assault occurred.
The lawsuit was actually meant for a different Matthew Ingalls, one of seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity facing accusations, as reported by the Free Press.
Just prior to the lawsuit delivery, Ingalls and his family started receiving strange and aggressive messages. “Matthew began getting a flood of messages asking if he ever attended Cornell and labeling him a rapist, along with other hostile comments. My daughter started receiving similar messages and was completely confused,” Mrs. Ingalls shared with military news outlet Stars and Stripes.
A spokesperson from the 2d Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune clarified, “Sgt. Matthew R. Ingalls, assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 26, has been wrongly identified by the public and media as involved in the Cornell civil lawsuit and the associated criminal investigation.”
The spokesperson further noted, “This misidentification has resulted in significant personal consequences for Sgt. Ingalls and his family, including threats of violence and the distribution of their personal information. It’s important to convey that Sgt. Matthew R. Ingalls is not the same individual accused in Jane Doe’s civil lawsuit. We urge that the harassment against Sgt. Ingalls and his family come to an immediate halt while civilian authorities continue their investigation.”
Currently, Ingalls works as a machinist with Combat Logistics Battalion 26 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Official communications from Camp Lejeune have reassured personnel and families that Ingalls was serving “honorably” during the timeframe of the alleged assault.
Despite these clarifications, the harassment targeting the wrong Mr. Ingalls continues. His mother voiced her concerns, stating, “The threats that people are making, saying things like, ‘I will find you and kill you,’ are terrifying,” according to Stars and Stripes.
She also mentioned that their family home has been subjected to items being thrown at it. In light of these events, the Ingalls family is now seeking legal advice.
