Recent Discoveries

I regularly search the internet for instances where stalkers, particularly cyberstalkers, are handled in a way that supports victims, rather than the stalking predator.

Here are two recent discoveries that were interesting:

• In January 2012, a Kentucky man was arrested on felony stalking and felony to commit stalking charges, among others, after he tracked his ex-girlfriend and her son to a Colorado women's shelter online. Note that both the stalker AND an accomplice who assisted him were arrested. Many stalkers hire thugs to help them stalk.

• In September 2011, a Florida library worker was arrested and charged with cyberstalking, principally via Facebook.
• In February 2011, a Louisiana woman was arrested on 13 counts of cyber-staking and the sheriff's office involved issued a statement: "The internet is no longer a safe haven for persons who commit crimes and wish to remain anonymous. Law enforcement now has the ability to track offenders who use the internet, and prosecution will be sought against those who violate the rights of others through the use of the internet." The investigation was prompted by a harassment complaint filed against the woman with local police.
  

• Penalty Statute documents  - some cyberstalkers think that the 'maximum' they will get is a misdemeanor charge, but this statute clearly shows that they are really looking at 10-25 years in a federal pennitentiary -- even if no physical harm is done to the person they are stalking  and they are subject to fine penalties!  In one case that I know of, a 29-year old stalker was 'let off' because they claimed to be mentally incompetent (supported by parent testimony), now understood their error, and would never bother the target again if they could just be released and allowed to go home accompanied by parents who promised they would seek treatment for their child and monitor progress.  Of course, they all lied.  Whatever the mental state of the stalker truly was, they never sought treatment and were documented as stalking for years later.  These new statutes seem to indicate that the victim of that stalker could now DEMAND restitution, from the stalker, its parents, the judge that let them off, and anyone who participated in allowing and supporting (possibly even internet providers to whom complaints were sent) for the years of harassment and torment they caused.  I wonder how much of a stalker's trust fund or family's fortune one could claim under such circumstances? 

• U.S.C.§ 2261B  and U.S.C.§ 2261A  - federal stalking laws

• Also, the new statutes indicate that the threat to use a gun, brandishing a gun or actually firing it can extend the penalties/sentencing 5-15 years!!

Links:
Guide for Survivors of Stalking
Internet Crime Complaint Center
Stalkers and their victims -and Stalking- The Veiled Epidemic from Psychiatric Times
Cyberstalking

UPDATE to FELONY Stalking Law in Colorado -- 
C.R.S. 18-3-602

(1)  A person commits stalking if directly, or indirectly through another person, the person knowingly:

(a)  Makes a credible threat to another person and, in connection with the threat, repeatedly follows, approaches, contacts, or places under surveillance that person, a member of that person's immediate family, or someone with whom that person has or has had a continuing relationship; or
(b)  Makes a credible threat to another person and, in connection with the threat, repeatedly makes any form of communication with that person, a member of that person's immediate family, or someone with whom that person has or has had a continuing relationship, regardless of whether a conversation ensues; or
(c)  Repeatedly follows, approaches, contacts, places under surveillance, or makes any form of communication with another person, a member of that person's immediate family, or someone with whom that person has or has had a continuing relationship in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to suffer serious emotional distress and does cause that person, a member of that person's immediate family, or someone with whom that person has or has had a continuing relationship to suffer serious emotional distress. For purposes of this paragraph (c), a victim need not show that he or she received professional treatment or counseling to show that he or she suffered serious emotional distress.