Man facing over 50 charges for allegedly extorting, threatening Pitt student
PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS 4 WITH BREAKING NEWS. A VERY BUSY WEDNESDAY HERE. WE HAVE A LOT TO GET TO. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE FOR PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT 4:00. I’M KELLY SASSO GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M ANDREW STOCKEY AND WE’RE BREAKING NEWS LOCALLY AND ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HERE ARE TOP FOUR STORIES AT 4:00 AS WE SPEAK. THE JURY IN THOMAS STANKO’S MURDER TRIAL IS DECIDING HIS FATE. STANKO IS THE MAN CHARGED IN THE MURDER OF CASSANDRA GROSS. NOW, THE COMPLICATING FACTOR IN THIS CASE WAS THAT HER BODY WAS NEVER FOUND. THE DAY BEGAN WITH CLOSING ARGUMENTS, AND THE JURY WENT INTO DELIBERATIONS JUST A FEW HOURS AGO. BREAKING NEWS. URGENT REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE TO A WATER MAIN UNDERNEATH THE WEST END BRIDGE. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE RAMP FROM WEST CARSON STREET TO DOWNTOWN IS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS TO LAST THROUGH THE EVENING COMMUTE. AND YOU SAW THIS FIRST ON FOUR. WE HAVE NOW CONFIRMED THE SOUTH GREENSBURG FIRE CHIEF ACCUSED OF STEALING FROM HIS OWN DEPARTMENT, IS IN CUSTODY. MORE THAN 500 MILES AWAY. HE WAS ARRESTED IN PICKENS COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA. HE’S ACCUSED OF STEALING MORE THAN $170,000 AND BREAKING NEWS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD. ACTOR JAMES VAN DER BEEK HAS DIED. THE FORMER DAWSON’S CREEK STAR HAS BEEN BATTLING COLORECTAL CANCER SINCE 2024. HE WAS 48 YEARS OLD. THOSE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES AT 4:00 ON THIS WEDNESDAY. TIME NOW FOR PITTSBURGH’S ACTION WEATHER, SNOW AND ICE AROUND HERE IS MELTING. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE’RE SEEING SOME INSTANCES OF MUD AND ROCKSLIDES. MORE ON THOSE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. METEOROLOGIST BRIAN HUTTON JUNIOR IS HERE WITH THE CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST. BRIAN. ON THOSE LINES, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A SLOW THAW BECAUSE WE DO SEE ISSUES LIKE THIS WHENEVER IT WARMS UP SO QUICKLY. YEAH, WE WENT FROM BELOW FREEZING TO THE UPPER 50S, MIDDLE 50S YESTERDAY. SO YEAH, THAT KIND OF CAUSES PROBLEMS WHEN THINGS START MELTING QUICKLY WITH MORE TEMPER THAT NOW AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND, AS WE’LL REFREEZE THINGS, AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE TIME TONIGHT, AS A LOT OF US ARE ALREADY BELOW THE FREEZING MARK, BUT WE WILL WARM BACK UP AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND. ALSO, CAN’T RULE OUT AN ISOLATED FLURRY OR LIGHT SNOW SHOWER BETWEEN NOW AND TOMORROW MORNING. NORTH OF, IN AND NORTH OF THE CITY ARE AT OR BELOW FREEZING AT THIS POINT. SOUTH OF THE CITY STILL ABOVE FREEZING, MORGANTOWN IS AT 38, GREENSBURG AT 34, WAYNESBURG IS AT 36. THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF FLAKES FLYING THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. THEY’VE GENERALLY BEEN CONFINED CLOSE TO 422 AND OUTSIDE OF A QUICK PASSING FLAKE OR A LIGHT SNOW SHOWER, THAT’S THE WORST WE WILL HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT. TOMORROW IS THE COLDEST DAY OF THE NEXT WEEK AT 30. THAT’S BETTER THAN WHERE WE HAVE BEEN 35 BY FRIDAY 40S THROUGH THE WEEKEND, AND THEN THREE DAYS IN THE 50S NEXT WEEK, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THAT ALSO COULD BRING SOME RAIN CHANCES BACK, THOUGH. WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT COMING UP IN JUST A FEW. THAT SLOW WARM UP THAT WE NEED. YES, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE WEEKEND IS SLOW, WHICH HOPEFULLY STARTS DISLODGING THE ICE AND MOVING ON OUR RIVERS BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR BIG WARM UP IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. REALLY, BEST CASE SCENARIO SOUNDS LIKE. YES, AND HOPEFULLY THE ICE COOPERATES MOVING DOWNSTREAM. BE NICE TO SEE OUR GRASS AGAIN. IT’S BEEN A WHILE. YES, YOU CAN TELL WHERE IT WASN’T AS THICK IN SPOTS BECAUSE THE GRASS IS BACK OUT THERE. YES, IT MIGHT BE A WHILE FOR ALL OF IT. ALL OF IT. BY LATE NEXT WEEK WE’LL SEE. GRASS. ALL RIGHT. GOT SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO, BRIAN. THANKS. WE’LL SEE YOU HERE IN JUST A BIT. FOR NOW, WE WANT TO TURN TO THIS. THAT’S RIGHT. MORE BREAKING NEWS. AND WE’RE NEARING THE CLIMAX OF THE THOMAS STANKO TRIAL. JUST A FEW HOURS AGO, THE JURY BEGAN DELIBERATIONS. NOW STANKO IS CHARGED IN THE MURDER OF CASSANDRA GROSSE BACK IN 2018. IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE THAT HER BODY HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND. DESPITE THE CHARGES, THE COURT DID SEE THE LAST KNOWN PHOTOGRAPH OF HER WESTMORELAND BUREAU REPORTER EDITOR DIORIO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS TRIAL SINCE THE FIRST DAY. HE’S HERE WITH US, LIVE IN GREENSBURG, AND IT SEEMS THIS TRIAL IS MOVING QUICKLY. YOU SAY THE JURY IS DELIBERATING RIGHT? OH, SUPER. WELL, ACTUALLY, KELLY, DELIBERATIONS JUST ENDED. I JUST GOT WORD THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DECIDE THE VERDICT IN A MATTER OF MOMENTS. SO I’M GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE YOU GUYS HERE BRIEFLY SO THAT WE CAN GET UP THERE AND GET THAT DECISION THAT’S MADE BY THIS 12 PERSON JURY AND DISCOVER THE FATE OF THOMAS STANKO TO SEE IF HE IS GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF CASSANDRA GROSS. I’M GOING TO LEAVE THIS AT THAT. HEAD UPSTAIRS AND WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED THROUGHOUT THIS NEWSCAST. WHENEVER WE CAN. CHECK BACK IN, GUYS, I’LL LEAVE THAT BACK TO YOU. THANKS SO MUCH AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. FOR NOW, WE WANT TO TURN TO EVEN MORE BREAKING NEWS HERE. JUST IN THE PAST HOUR, CONGRESSMAN CHRIS DELUZIO SPOKE PUBLICLY ABOUT A GRAND JURY THAT DECIDED NOT TO CHARGE HIM AND FIVE OTHER DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS. NOW, ALL OF THIS IS SURROUNDING A VIDEO THAT THEY POSTED ENCOURAGING ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS TO DISOBEY ILLEGAL ORDERS. THE PRESIDENT CALLED THE VIDEO AN ACT OF SEDITION PUNISHABLE BY DEATH. HERE IS WHAT DELUZIO HAD TO SAY. THEIR ANSWER WAS TO TRY TO THROW US IN PRISON. THEY WANT TO SCARE NOT JUST US. THEY WANT TO SCARE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO ARE COURAGEOUSLY STANDING UP FOR OUR FREEDOM, WHO DISSENT PATRIOTICALLY. THEY WANT TO INTIMIDATE US. THEY WANT TO INTIMIDATE THEM. I’M NOT GOING TO BE INTIMIDATED. ANOTHER LAWMAKER IN THAT VIDEO WAS SENATOR MARK KELLY OF ARIZONA. HE WAS CENSURED BY DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE PETE HEGSETH OVER THIS VIDEO. SENATOR KELLY IS NOW FIGHTING TO BLOCK IT. WE HAVE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS NOW IN THE STORY. YOU SAW FIRST RIGHT HERE ON PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS. FOUR LOCAL FIRE CHIEF ACCUSED OF STEALING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM HIS OWN DEPARTMENT IS IN CUSTODY HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY. WE FIRST TOLD YOU YESTERDAY ABOUT THE CHARGES AGAINST THE SOUTH GREENSBURG FIRE CHIEF, MATTHEW WHITE. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR CONFIRMED TODAY. HE WAS ARRESTED IN PICKENS COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA. THAT’S IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE NEAR GREENVILLE. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER MARCIE CIPRIANI COVERING WESTMORELAND COUNTY FOR US THIS AFTERNOON. LIVE IN SOUTH GREENSBURG RIGHT NOW. SO, MARK, HOW POLICE SAY CHIEF WHITE STOLE ALL THAT MONEY. WELL, ANDREW, ACCORDING TO POLICE, THAT $178,000 WAS TAKEN IN INCREMENTS LITTLE BY LITTLE, IN JUST MORE THAN A YEAR. AND THAT FIRE CHIEF HERE IN SOUTH GREENSBURG, THEY SAY, IS NOW IN CUSTODY IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO FACE THOSE CHARGES. TAKE A LOOK. THIS IS HIS MUGSHOT. THIS IS 49 YEAR-OLD MATTHEW THOMAS WHITE FROM THE PICKENS DETENTION CENTER IN SOUTH CAROLINA AFTER POLICE SAY HE WAS PULLED OVER THEIR 8.5 HOURS FROM SOUTH GREENSBURG, WHERE INVESTIGATORS SAY WHITE IS THE FIRE CHIEF FOR THE VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT AND HAD ACCESS TO ALL OF ITS DONATIONS. POLICE TELL ME WHITE WAS TRANSFERRING MONEY FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO HIS OWN ACCOUNT, AND THEY SAY THEY DISCOVERED THE THEFT BY ACCIDENT. THE STATE POLICE SAY WHITE’S FAMILY HADN’T HEARD FROM HIM, AND THEY WERE WORRIED HE MIGHT HARM HIMSELF. SO THEY CALLED POLICE FOR HELP. SO INVESTIGATORS TELL ME, IN THEIR EFFORT TO FIND WHITE, THEY TRIED TO TRACK HIM. IN DOING SO, OBVIOUSLY WE WERE LOOKING INTO HIS FINANCIAL CAPABILITY TO DO THINGS. AND ALSO ONE OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE HE HAD ACCESS TO A DEBIT CARD THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT HE WAS THE CHIEF OF, AND WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS A COUPLE WITHDRAWALS THAT WERE MADE. AND AS THEY CONTINUED TO LOOK THROUGH THE WITHDRAWALS, IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS WELL OVER SIX FIGURES WORTH OF WITHDRAWALS. SO, MARISSA, YOU SAID WHITE IS IN CUSTODY RIGHT NOW IN SOUTH CAROLINA. SO WHAT’S NEXT FOR HIM? WELL, ANDREW, THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE SAY THEY PLAN TO HEAD TO SOUTH CAROLINA PROBABLY NEXT WEEK TO BRING HIM BACK HERE TO PENNSYLVANIA TO FACE THAT ONE COUNT OF THEFT. HOWEVER, THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT DONE LOOKING INTO MATTHEW WHITE, AND MORE CHARGES COULD BE COMING. NEW AT 5:00. HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO HAS DONATED TO THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT COVERING WESTMORELAND COUNTY FROM SOUTH GREENSBURG, MARCIE CIPRIANI PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. A SHOCKING STORY. ALL RIGHT, MARCY, THANK YOU. WANT TO TURN TO THIS NOW? $2,000 REWARD IS BEING OFFERED IN THE SEARCH FOR A SUSPECT IN A HOMICIDE OUT OF FAYETTE COUNTY. 20 YEAR OLD LAMAR THOMPSON, JUNIOR DIED WHILE SHOT IN THE HEAD LAST WEEK IN UNIONTOWN. STATE POLICE SAY SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS THOMPSON AND BRADEN DICKINSON WERE WALKING TOGETHER JUST BEFORE THOMPSON WAS AMBUSHED. AFTER THOMPSON WAS SHOT. POLICE SAY DICKINSON RUMMAGED THROUGH HIS POCKETS. HE MAY BE DRIVING A BLUE COLORED JEEP. COMPASS IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS, AND HIS LAST KNOWN ADDRESS WAS IN CONNELLSVILLE. POLICE ALSO SAY HE HAS CONNECTIONS IN NEW KENSINGTON AND MORGANTOWN. NOW BACK IN 2022, WHEN HE WAS 14 YEARS OLD, DICKINSON WAS ONE OF SEVEN PEOPLE CHARGED IN THE DEATH OF JASON RAYFORD IN NEW KENSINGTON. THEN IN 2024, AT AGE 16, HE PLEADED GUILTY IN JUVENILE COURT FOR HIS ROLE IN THE SHOOTING. IT WAS ALLEGHENY COUNTY AS LONG AS COLD CASE INVOLVING AN UNKNOWN VICTIM. BUT THIS AFTERNOON WE KNOW THAT PERSON’S IDENTITY. THIS STEMS FROM A CASE IN 1992, THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS ALLEN KEENER’S BODY WAS FOUND IN THE ALLEGHENY RIVER BETWEEN THE CLEMENTE AND RACHEL. INVESTIGATORS SAY KEENER WAS FROM KENTUCKY AND WAS TRAVELING AROUND THE PITTSBURGH REGION. NOW, POLICE DID CHARGE ARTHUR WILEY. HE WAS TRIED AND CONVICTED OF THIRD DEGREE MURDER AND HAS SINCE SERVED HIS SENTENCE. NEW AT FOUR. WE ARE STAYING ON TOP OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH’S PLANS TO REFORM SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES. TODAY, THEY TOOK A PIVOTAL VOTE INSIDE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER CHANDI CHAPMAN IS DOWNTOWN THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE RESULTS OF THAT VOTE. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS MOVED FORWARD ON PLANS TO TALK ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTAL REGULATIONS IN THE CITY. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS GATHERED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WAY SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES ARE HANDLED IN THE CITY. AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING, THEY DECIDED TO SEND A ZONING PERMIT BILL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THE OTHER BILL IS RELATED TO BUSINESS LICENSE PERMITS, AND THAT WAS HELD FOR 12 WEEKS. COUNCIL MEMBER DEB GROSS SAYS RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH WHEN IT COMES TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS. WE’RE FINALLY PUTTING LANGUAGE IN OUR ZONING CODE THAT SAYS SHORT TERM RENTAL. SO THERE WILL BE A PROCESS. BASICALLY, IF YOU LIVE IN YOUR HOUSE, YOU’RE THERE. YOU DON’T NEED TO GET A ZONING PERMIT. COMING UP, HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD INSIDE THAT MEETING. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH. CHANDI CHAPMAN PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. OKAY. CHANDI, THANKS FOR STAYING ON TOP OF THAT. JUST IN THIS AFTERNOON. KRAFT HEINZ SAYS IT IS PAUSING ITS PLANS TO SPLIT INTO TWO DIFFERENT COMPANIES. THE COMPANY’S CEO SAYS HE WANTS TO ENSURE ALL THE COMPANY’S RESOURCES ARE FOCUSED ON PROFITABLE GROWTH. NOW, HE SAYS, THE ISSUES ARE FIXABLE. THE TRANSACTION WAS EXPECTED TO OCCUR IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR. THEY HAVE NOT ANNOUNCED A NEW TIMELINE YET. ALL RIGHT. TODAY MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE BUTLER COUNTY NATIVE MARK FOGEL WAS RELEASED FROM A RUSSIAN PRISON. HE WAS ARRESTED IN 2021 FOR CARRYING PRESCRIPTION MEDICAL MARIJUANA THROUGH THE MOSCOW AIRPORT. FOR THAT, HE WAS SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IN A RUSSIAN PENAL COLONY. FOGEL SPENT MORE THAN THREE YEARS IN THAT PRISON. HIS FAMILY AND LAWMAKERS THAT WHOLE TIME FOUGHT HARD TO BRING HIM HOME. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT FOGEL’S JOURNEY HOME, AND ALSO HEAR FROM HI
Man facing over 50 charges for allegedly extorting, threatening Pitt student
Updated: 10:37 PM EST Feb 11, 2026
A man from California is facing dozens of charges after officials said he threatened and tried to extort a University of Pittsburgh student. VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Feb. 11 According to a criminal complaint, 19-year-old Michael Vaca harassed a young woman who he had met through a mutual friend via text message. They had met in July of 2025. Vaca resided in Hollister, California, while the woman lived in San Jose. The complaint said Vaca and the woman started casually dating, but were not in a formal relationship. Documents said “intimate images and videos” were exchanged between both individuals prior to the woman beginning school at the University of Pittsburgh last August. The complaint said Vaca soon began to accuse the girl of cheating and threatened to share the photos sent to him online if she did not stop talking to other men. Vaca allegedly also threatened to kill her cat and vandalize her parents’ home. Messages shared with police by the woman in January of this year showed multiple texts from Vaca, saying he would share the photos with her professor, parents, school, etc. After the messages were shared with University of Pittsburgh Police Department, an investigation began involving the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Allegheny County police.In addition to the threats, the complaint said Vaca attempted to extort the girl for $40 by threatening to share her explicit photos and videos if she did not pay him money. Vaca later began sending the woman screenshots, showing videos and photos shared with her family and friends. He also threatened to call ICE on her and her family. Court documents said the woman and her family had immigrated from another country. The victim told police the situation grew to the point where Vaca was beginning to demand full control of her life, including deciding who she was following on social media, who she was allowed to talk to, and who she was allowed to be with at any given point.Police said they have found several accounts connected with Vaca that were used specifically for the purposes of harassing her.Vaca, according to police, is facing over 50 charges, including sexual extortion, stalking, terrorist threats, and identity theft. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
A man from California is facing dozens of charges after officials said he threatened and tried to extort a University of Pittsburgh student.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Feb. 11
According to a criminal complaint, 19-year-old Michael Vaca harassed a young woman who he had met through a mutual friend via text message. They had met in July of 2025.
Vaca resided in Hollister, California, while the woman lived in San Jose. The complaint said Vaca and the woman started casually dating, but were not in a formal relationship.
Documents said “intimate images and videos” were exchanged between both individuals prior to the woman beginning school at the University of Pittsburgh last August.
The complaint said Vaca soon began to accuse the girl of cheating and threatened to share the photos sent to him online if she did not stop talking to other men.
Vaca allegedly also threatened to kill her cat and vandalize her parents’ home.
Messages shared with police by the woman in January of this year showed multiple texts from Vaca, saying he would share the photos with her professor, parents, school, etc.
After the messages were shared with University of Pittsburgh Police Department, an investigation began involving the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Allegheny County police.
In addition to the threats, the complaint said Vaca attempted to extort the girl for $40 by threatening to share her explicit photos and videos if she did not pay him money.
Vaca later began sending the woman screenshots, showing videos and photos shared with her family and friends.
He also threatened to call ICE on her and her family. Court documents said the woman and her family had immigrated from another country.
The victim told police the situation grew to the point where Vaca was beginning to demand full control of her life, including deciding who she was following on social media, who she was allowed to talk to, and who she was allowed to be with at any given point.
Police said they have found several accounts connected with Vaca that were used specifically for the purposes of harassing her.
Vaca, according to police, is facing over 50 charges, including sexual extortion, stalking, terrorist threats, and identity theft.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.