Social media influencer Rossi Lorathio Adams II is given 14 years in prison for getting his cousin to hold a man at gunpoint in exchange for his internet domain name
- Rossi Lorathio Adams II, 27, forced cousin Sherman Hopkins into the crime
- He wanted the domain name ‘doitforstate.com’ for his 18+ social media company
- Hopkins broke into the home of the man who owned the domain name
A social media influencer has been given 14 years in prison after forcing his cousin to hold a man at gunpoint in exchange for his internet domain name.
Rossi Lorathio Adams II, 27, known as Polo, founded a social media company called ‘State Snaps’ while he was a student at Iowa State University.
Adams founded the company when he was an Iowa State University student in 2015.
His series of social accounts gained millions of followers by featuring images of a party-hard university culture and nudity.
The 18+ company posts pictures on the internet of naked women that have been sent in from his followers.
Rossi Lorathio Adams II, 27, known as Polo, has been given 14 years in prison after forcing his cousin to hold a man at gunpoint in exchange for his internet domain name
Adams founded the company, State Snaps, when he was an Iowa State University student in 2015
His followers often use the slogan ‘Do it for State’ and Adams wanted the domain doitforstate.com.
State Snaps had gained more than a million followers by 2015, at which point Adams decided to try to buy the website domain ‘doitforstate.com’, based on the site’s slogan.
However, the domain was already registered to a Cedar Rapids resident who refused to sell it.
Adams hired his cousin, convicted felon Sherman Hopkins Jr (above), to break into the domain owner’s home in June 2017
‘Between 2015 and 2017, Adams repeatedly tried to obtain ‘doitforstate.com,’ but the owner of the domain would not sell it. Adams also threatened one of the domain owner’s friends with gun emojis after the friend used the domain to promote concerts,’ court records stated.
Adams finally lost his patience in June 2017 and hired his cousin Sherman Hopkins Jr, a convicted felon, to break into the domain owner’s home.
Adams allegedly drove Hopkins to the home and waited outside as he entered the home wearing pantyhose on his head as well as sunglasses and a hat. He was carrying a stolen gun, a taser and directions on how to transfer the domain via GoDaddy.com.
When the victim heard Hopkins break into his house, he hid in a bedroom on the second floor.
The suspect kicked down the door and dragged the homeowner into his office where he held a gun to his head and ordered him to carry out the transfer while pistol-whipping him several times.
The victim turned to move the gun away from his head and managed to grab the firearm. An altercation ensued and the victim was shot in the leg and Hopkins was shot in the chest multiple times before calling 911.
Hopkins survived and was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to interference and interference with commerce by threats and violence.
The 18+ company posts pictures on the internet of half-naked women that have been sent in from his followers
Adams was sentenced to 14 years in prison yesterday after being convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force, threats and violence.
He was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution and to pay prosecution costs and attorney fees.
At one time, ‘State Snaps’ had more than 1 million users and incorporated other social media platforms like Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram. Most of the site’s content featured videos and pictures of ‘young adults engaged in crude behavior, drunkenness and nudity,’ according to the justice department’s news release seen by the Des Moines Register.