A man accused of stalking a Tucson woman for nearly 18 years was found guilty of interstate stalking last week, reports The Arizona Republic.
Forty-seven-year-old Moses Antonio Shepard reportedly stalked the victim for nearly two decades through six states after a single date in New York City in 1992.
Under Arizona law, a person commits stalking if his or her actions cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety, and the victim is in fact afraid.
Shepard’s criminal activities included calling the victim at all hours of the night, sending letters containing personal information about the victim, and hanging out near places the victim frequented.
Shepard’s actions followed the victim all over the country as she tried to escape his harassment. From New Mexico to Arizona to California and to Connecticut, his letters followed her, according to The Republic.
The harassment came to a head in 2010, which prompted the victim to apply for a restraining order in Connecticut. Shepard was finally arrested in Tucson in April 2010, where he had moved in 2004 to be closer to her, according to a letter he wrote.
Shepard now faces 10 years in prison for felony stalking. Stalking is typically a class 5 felony. However, if the victim fears for his or her life, it is bumped up to a class 3 felony.
Ironically, January is National Stalking Awareness Month, a time when organizations across the country educate communities about stalking and its effects. For more information on the crime of stalking, see our Related Resources section.
Related Resources:
- Find a Phoenix Criminal Law Attorney (FindLaw)
- Arizona Stalking Laws (FindLaw)
- Alleged Stalker Arrested at Saguaro High School (Phoenix Criminal Law News)
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