Shelby County Deputy Charged with Stalking and Harassment

 Posted on November 07, 2024 in Criminal Defense

A sheriff’s deputy in Shelby County has recently been relieved of duty – with pay – after being arrested and charged with stalking and harassment. The deputy allegedly repeatedly stalked and harassed his ex-wife, using a law enforcement database to track her location more than 100 times. The deputy is currently free on a $1,000 bond.

At least 15 percent of women and six percent of men across the United States have experienced stalking. More than half of the female stalking survivors were first stalked before they were 25 years old. The person doing the stalking is overwhelmingly (80 percent) known to the victims in some way. The risk of stalking victimization is highest for those who are divorced or separated – 34 per 1,000 individuals.

Stalking and harassment charges are extremely serious in the state of Tennessee, and if you have been charged with either of these criminal offenses, you should take the charges seriously. You need an experienced Anderson County, TN criminal defense lawyer from Jeffrey Coller, Knoxville Criminal Defense Attorney to mount a strong defense on your behalf.

What is Harassment and What Are the Penalties?

Under Tennessee law, any person who intentionally threatens another person with harm in a manner that any reasonable person would perceive to be a threat of harm is engaging in harassment. Communication with another person that has no lawful purpose and is specifically meant to annoy, offend, alarm, or frighten another person is also considered harassment.

The statute further mentions that telling another person that a relative of his or hers has been injured or killed when such information is known to be false and is communicated with the intent to harass can result in harassment charges. Harassment is usually considered a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory fine of $1,000 unless the harassment leads to injury or death. Under those circumstances, the crime can be charged as a Class E felony.

What is Stalking and What Are the Potential Penalties?

Stalking can be charged as "simple" stalking, aggravated stalking, and especially aggravated stalking. Stalking is defined as a deliberate course of behavior that involves repeatedly harassing another person. This behavior causes the victim to feel harassed, threatened, intimidated, frightened, or terrorized.

Stalking is a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine of $2,000. If the person accused of stalking was registered as a violent juvenile sexual offender or a violent sexual offender, stalking is charged as a Class E felony. Stalking is elevated to aggravated stalking whenever any of the following is present:

• A deadly weapon is displayed.
• The victim of the stalking is younger than 18, and the defendant is five or more years older.
• The defendant has a prior conviction for stalking within seven years of the current offense.
• The defendant has made a credible threat to the victim or the victim’s child, sibling, spouse, parent, or dependents, placing the victim in reasonable fear of death or severe bodily injury.  

Aggravated stalking is a Class E felony, punishable by a mandatory minimum fine of $2,500 and a potential prison sentence of one to six years. Especially aggravated stalking occurs when a person commits aggravated stalking while intentionally or recklessly causing serious bodily injury to the victim or a member of the victim’s family.

Especially aggravated stalking is a Class C felony with a potential sentence of three to 15 years in prison and a fine as large as $10,000. The court may also require a mental health evaluation or counseling for the defendant or an order of protection for the victim in stalking cases.

Contact a Knox County, TN Stalking and Harassment Lawyer

If you are facing charges of stalking or harassment, it is extremely important to speak to a Blount County, TN stalking and harassment attorney. When you choose Jeffrey Coller, Knoxville Criminal Defense Attorney, you can be sure we will immediately begin building a strong defense on your behalf. We provide trusted guidance and skilled representation to clients throughout East Tennessee for all types of criminal offenses. Call 865-281-1000 to schedule your free consultation.