In the past, it wasn’t a crime to follow someone or take pictures of them without their consent. It wasn’t illegal to park outside their house or follow them as they drive around town, nor was it illegal to send them letters in the mail or call them non-stop. But now, the laws have changed. Just about each state has enacted some sort of anti-stalking law, which criminalizes “stalking behaviors,” patterns of behavior that put victims in constant fear. Stalking is covered under Section 13-2923 of the Arizona Revised Statues. Under this section, you commit the offense of stalking if you knowingly or intentionally engage in “a course of conduct” that is directed towards someone, which causes him or her to experience emotional distress or reasonable fear that:
- Their personal property will be damaged or destroyed.
- They will suffer physical injury.
- Their family member, pet, or livestock will be physically injured.
- A current or former romantic partner will be physically injured.
- A household member will be physically injured.
- The victim, a household member, family member, or pet will be killed by the perpetrator.
Under Arizona law, stalking is prosecuted as a Class 3 or Class 5 felony depending on the facts of the case. Essentially, if the stalking behavior caused the victim to be in reasonable fear of being physically injured, or someone in the above categories being physically injured, it’s a Class 5 felony. On the other hand, if the stalking behaviors were so severe as to cause the victim to fear for their life, or fear for another person’s life, such as a household or family member, or a romantic partner, then stalking is a Class 3 felony. To see the punishments for felonies in Arizona, click here. Are you being accused of stalking in Phoenix or Tempe? If so, you could be facing serious felony charges. To protect your freedom and your future, contact the Davidson Criminal Defense & DUI Law Firm, PLC today.
