A Palm Harbor man was recently arrested for aggravated stalking after arming himself with a gun and breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house, according to authorities. The recent St. Petersburg Times report further stated that the man was also charged with armed burglary.
Arrest reports state that the suspect stalked his ex-girlfriend since they broke up earlier in the year. He began sending the woman computer messages, following her and repeatedly calling and texting her. On the morning of July 20, the woman awakened to find him standing over her bed, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect placed a pistol next to the woman on her bed and began asking her about her relationship with another person.
The arrest reports did not state how the suspect got inside the woman’s home, what happened next or if the she was injured. The woman did express fear for her safety and that of her children. She received a temporary restraining order against the suspect.
The suspect in this case has a prior record of stalking/harassing women. Another woman filed a temporary injunction against the suspect in 2002 and 2005, but they were dismissed. The suspect also pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct charge in 2003.
Because of this suspect’s prior record of stalking, he would be facing Class 4 felony charges if he lived in Colorado. A Colorado criminal defense attorney would have quite a challenge in trying to get his charges reduced, simply because of his prior arrests. The suspect would, however, be well advised of his rights under the law and treated fairly. His Colorado criminal defense attorney would see to that. The defense attorney would also discuss the best defense strategy for him and prepare him for the all possible outcomes.
