California Man Charged With Stalking MN Woman For Years

Aggravated stalking, under Minnesota law, is a very serious offense. The law says if you engage in a pattern of harassing conduct against someone and you should have reason to suspect that the actions would cause the alleged victim to be afraid for their safety, and the actions actually do cause the victim to fear for their safety, you can face up to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines. That’s exactly what one California man is facing after allegedly stalking an Apple Valley woman for several years.

The pair met when they worked together in 1994 and 1995. She was 18 years old at the time. The victim says they never had a romantic relationship and though they exchanged letters, when she moved away to Minnesota, she never intended to keep in touch.

The victim heard from the man again in 2008 when he contacted her on MySpace. They exchanged notes, though she never added him as a “friend” because she was said to have seen “red flags” that kept her cautious. After she cut off contact once again, the defendant began sending emails to police, asking them to check on her wellbeing.

The police finally checked on the victim in 2009 after the suspect contacted a city councilmember to complain about inaction on the part of the police. When the police met her, she asked them to not tell the defendant anything about her and expressed that she was upset by his actions and continued contact.

For the next several months, he would continue writing letters to the woman, sending them to various addresses. She took out a restraining order in July 2009. The defendant then traveled from California to Minneapolis, visiting three different addresses he had for the victim. Once he found the home where she was living, he left a note for her, asking that she call him. He then returned to California and, with new address in hand, sent her a large package containing every letter he had sent that had been returned, including one which he had burned.

The victim’s fear of the man is apparent as she claims she has had to seek medical attention for the stress-related ulcers she has. Throughout the period in question the suspect even contacted the woman’s parents.

When he was arrested, they found a map in his hotel room with her home and various other locations related to her marked out, though he claimed she and not he is the one with the problem. He wrote in a letter to his attorney: “Unless she gets the help she needs, [the woman] WILL end up being directly responsible for another person’s death within 10 years.”

He’s been charged with aggravated stalking and is being held in the Dakota County Jail on a $25,000 bond. These are very serious charges with potentially life changing penalties.

If you’ve been charged with a harassment or stalking crime, you need the assistance of an aggressive defense attorney on your side. Contact our offices today to discuss your case and how we might be able to help.