A woman who impersonated a Kaysville police officer’s wife to post racist comments after George Floyd’s death has agreed to provisions that could allow her to avoid a criminal conviction.

Sambulique Swallow, 31, of North Las Vegas, Nevada, agreed in court documents filed Feb. 15 to undergo mental health counseling and a substance abuse evaluation, among other requirements, to defer prosecution on a felony cyberstalking charge.

Swallow admitted to impersonating Amber Criddle, wife of a Kaysville officer, to make incendiary, racist comments on a TV news Facebook page on May 28, 2020, in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, who later was convicted of murder.

The Criddles endured death threats and other abuse because of the comments, and Michael Criddle was put on leave while the Kaysville Police Department investigated the matter.

Swallow admitted that she posted as Amber Criddle, “My husband is an officer and I support this officer 100%,” referring to the Floyd case. Swallow later posted that the Minneapolis officer “took one less black person off the streets! I support his actions.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office on Feb. 10 charged Swallow in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City with violating the federal cyberstalking law. A conviction could bring a sentence of up to five years in federal prison.

But the diversion agreement defers the prosecution for 18 months. If Swallow completes the diversion terms, the charge will be dismissed.

Swallow, who previously lived in Ogden and Syracuse, agreed not to deny the facts of her offense and must not contact the Criddles. She must not possess weapons and is prohibited from using computer or internet accounts except as required for employment.

The Utah Legislature in 2021 passed House Bill 239, which makes it a criminal offense to “impersonate an individual online with the intent to harm, defraud, intimidate, or threaten” and cause “physical, emotional, or economic injury or damage.”

“They said some very horrific racial comments that I would never say or support,” Amber Criddle told legislators in a committee hearing on the bill. “We got death threats and our children’s pictures were posted all over the internet.”

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