On December 30th, 2022, Monroe County deputies in Key West, Florida responded to a stalking call. A man from New Jersey had just appeared at a vacation rental to find a woman who had blocked him on every platform she knew about. >> I pretend I'm going to rent him. >> Drove from where did you take over to? >> Um, drove down for good. That's a drive, bro. Like 25 hours. Um, well, >> why are you on floor? >> I was apparently gaslighting myself. >> You're gaslighting yourself. >> Here we go. >> So, you you didn't >> Were you like invited here? >> I'm trying to understand. I don't understand what he was saying. gaslighting yourself into what? I >> had thought that there was >> I had believed in certain things >> and uh it >> I thought that this woman this girl was into me >> and she was about a girl who came to Florida for a girl. Okay. >> And I thought that I was getting signs that >> come out. We come down. >> Okay. So, you were you listen to intuition from the universe? >> I was hearing signs from the universe. I had thought that I found a playlist from her about me. because of the poem I wrote about her. >> Okay. Do you know this person in New Jersey? Like is this somebody else from New Jersey? >> Yes. >> Okay. How do you know? Like how long have you known them? >> I knew them from uh June. >> Since June. How did you meet? >> I've been at the gym. >> At the gym? >> Yeah. >> And how tell me about that. like you were at the gym and you just I mean what how did that conversation work? >> Um >> I I sorry could repeat yourself. >> So you said that you met this person at the gym. How so? Like were you guys you guys just happened to work out at the same gym and then did you show >> she worked there and I asked her for her Instagram. >> Okay. So she was working at this gym. >> You were just you go work out at this gym? >> Yes. >> Okay. So then you asked her for her Instagram and then what did she say then? >> Um originally I wanted to invite her to my birthday and it didn't end up happening. >> What do you mean it didn't end up happening? Like did you did you invite her? Did you ask her? >> Um I invited her and so I found out that she was not old enough to go to a bar and then I had sent her the message on Instagram. I'm still going to hang if you are. And I mean I'll if I when was if you'd like I can pull up all the messages. >> When did you guys meet? >> Uh the 15th of June. >> 15th of June. Did you guys carry on a relationship at all or? >> No. >> There was nothing physical or anything? >> Nothing physical. Did you guys ever hang out or talk in person ever? being an interest at the gym and originally I was on second and talked to her but didn't end up conf you say you found a playlist that told me >> what did the what >> um all right so the the quick synopsis is uh the RP is the mother of the 19year-old, her daughter is 19. Uh anyway, her 19-year-old daughter worked at a gym where he was a member of and that's how they knew each other. Um only speaking to the mother, I haven't uh I haven't confirmed this with the 19-year-old, but speaking with the mother, um the there was no relationship. >> It was just, you know, business. >> He's sick and he needs help. He's telling me he got mixed signals. I said, "From who?" And he said, "From my intuition." >> So, how did you know she was in Florida? >> Um, I was up her stories on Instagram. >> Yeah. >> And when did you see that? She was in Florida. >> Um 3 days ago. >> You saw she was in Florida 3 days ago. And when did you get here? >> So you was she like tagged her location or whatever? >> Huh? >> No. I whenever I posted a story, >> she would post a story like a minute after 3 minutes. >> Okay. So it's kids met by the universe just signed. a lot of synchronicity that I was thinking that was a sign from the universe. So >> you just should get you should get your >> was also getting likes about what I was posting >> from her or from other people >> from bots. >> Okay. >> From spy bots basically. >> Okay. >> And so I had thought that it might have occurred >> influencing them. >> Right. Okay. >> So you just decided to get in and drive for them, >> right? I don't want to I don't know if he asked you this already, but are you guys friends on social media? >> Uh, we were. >> You were. >> And now you're not. >> Did she block you or did you block her? She thought I did. What was that? >> Um, a while ago. How did you see her stories? >> Um, 17. >> Same way that it felt to me like she was watching my stories. >> So you So you have like fake accounts and your your friends were uh anonymous. She had made her she had switched her account from private to public. >> Okay. So, you're >> you're still using your own account. It's not like you went through the process of creating another account under your name. >> I uh >> I would open up >> I would open up I would [crying] >> you open up social media. Is that >> uh there's a lot of online websites that you can easily watch other people's stories without an account. >> Oh, okay. >> What type of that? I never heard that. >> I've never heard that either. >> The first that we want to do is the court order. if uh if we can get that and we're going to check and I'll just wait for your your daughter to come here with her information. Uh but we'll check both of you's information, make sure that there's a uh a court order on file. We'll check with uh his information in the system to see if there's a court order on file there. My fear is if it just happened last Friday, it may not be in the system. Uh it should be. >> It was Monday the um I'm not sure of the date. We went in on Saturday, the day after. It's not like there's a time limit where it has to where it doesn't get, you know, nationwide for a certain >> 19th that he we we went into the police department 17th. >> Here's her license. Is your your daughter getting her license? >> Yeah, I'm going to >> I would feel a little bit more comfortable if we were out of eyesight of him. >> Yeah, we were over there. >> If I showed you some of the messages he sent to my daughter, you'd have them at the psych word right now. Like, >> well, come over here. I'd like to see the the stalking p paperwork. >> Okay. They told me the police department told me I reached out to them. We went there on Monday um we went there on the 17th which was a Saturday and then Monday the 19th they said they brought him in for fingerprinting and took all the information down everything and they were charging him with cyber harassment, cyberstalking. >> So they arrested him. >> Yes. and and harassment and against her and then against me they charged with cyber stalking and cyber harassment and they said that guy right there it's that guy right there he came I went to the bathroom and my daughter said came in screaming I'm like what happened and she said Will's here and I said what >> did you guys ever carry on any type of messaging relationship where you guys were talking back and forth >> no so you just met her at the gym one day she worked at the gym that you went to you met her you asked her for your for her Instagram and you just developed this relationship in your mind? Not really. There was never one in real life basically. And you wanted to invite her to your birthday, but you never did or you didn't. >> When I was at the gym, there was probably true. >> Okay. So, you just like she was being nice to you. She was she was a nice person. She was attractive was what you're saying. You were attracted to him. You felt there was something in between you two. Let me just ask you a few quick questions and and the other officer is going to talk to you as well, but your mom was telling us, but I want to be able to also hear from you. Um, your what's your relationship with him? >> No relationship. I worked at a gym in New Jersey and he went to the gym and the only really conversations we would have >> like a paid membership. >> Yes. The only conversations we would have is, "Hello, have a good workout." I blocked him on like Instagram. He found like my other social medias, started messaging me really weird things, telling me for um my sorority that I'm in, we have an Alzheimer's philanthropy and we had a walk going and fingerprinted. Yes. >> And he was saying that he was going to come to my school to participate in the walk. He has like reached out to my friend at school to ask him a good place to stay where my school is at so he could go to the walk. He like messages her. He >> he was posting pictures of us. >> Yeah. Posting pictures of me saying I was his muse. Never had any relationship with him. I just saw him at the gym. >> I thought you guys didn't really have like conversation. >> It was through conversations, through messages, like through pictures, images, art. >> Okay. So, like her stories, your stories, but you guys never actually communicated anything. >> Nothing verbal. >> Nothing verbal. was like you're just thinking in your mind and maybe I don't know but you guys were posting similar things at the time. So for example, I would call myself a void or zero and she made a post of >> like because I whistle a lot and I talk and like I like showing pictures of birds and whatnot. I saw a post of a bird house mile zero Key West and a musty wiener like purple. >> Like it started getting weirder and weirder and like confessing his love for me and then I would block him on one account, he would find the other one. I would block him on that. He would find like my friends. >> They filed. >> So you're using some back channel website to look at her Instagram and you see a story that she's in Key West. Well, I knew that they were going to be going to Key West for a long time. >> Were they moving here or? >> No, they're vacation. >> How did you know that they were coming on vacation? >> Um, location. >> Her mom posts stories on Facebook. >> So, you're friends with her mom also on Facebook? >> So, how she keeps her she made the stories public. >> Okay. So you're also not only are you >> she is aware of our of messaged her mom in Facebook but nothing ever really like >> crazy that she is well aware of my account. >> Your Her mom knows who you are. You guys you guys talk. She's messaged you back. She's talked to you. No, >> we've just kept it to like story watching or >> Okay, so you just watch each other's stories? >> I >> Well, you're not friends on Facebook. >> I can't say that. I know for sure that she watched my stories, >> but she's watched hers. >> How do you know her mom? Does her mom go to the same gym or how do Okay, so that's how you know her mom, too. >> We're going to do everything in our power >> within the within the law >> to do we can to make sure that he gets held accountable for this. if we can. >> So, so basically when it boils down to it, you knew they were coming to us for a couple weeks now at least. >> You've been basically following her stories on Instagram. You saw that she posted a birdhouse in Key West and a musty we >> so you and Mile. So, that's Key West. It's pretty famous. >> Milo is a cat. >> Milo or mile? >> It says mile zero. So if you write it all together, you could think of it as Milo. >> Okay. >> And Milo is a cat that I that I nicknamed Martian. >> Okay. >> And so it felt to me like that was a call out to me. >> Okay. So and then you sitting at home up in Jersey. It's cold. you just decided to jump in your car that is around the corner and you drove 25 hours to Key West >> in the state of Florida and that's where we're at. That's the rules that we have to go by. It defines stalking as uh uh a repeated thing multiple times. >> And although I'm sure there has been multiple repeated things back in New Jersey, >> I'm not sure that legally we can use any of those things in conjunction with this one thing. >> Mhm. Um, again, mine's not the final say or the interpretation of the law. Uh, the sergeants on scene, who used to be a major crimes detective, so she'll be able to interpret that and see what we can do. I hope we can, but I think that the way the law is worded might work against us. >> And I had sent out a message saying like I wanted to be by your side. >> You message her or you like send it out here on Twitter. Okay. Henry because Twitter was the last location when it hurts. >> Yeah. Yeah. Of course. >> So, >> I got you. Makes sense. >> That's what I'm thinking. You know, like I got you. If I'm going to be playing with the meta, I like play with the meta. And so, it felt to me like she was playing with the meta as well. >> Yeah. And so I had took that picture of me and the sun and like moments after she'd post a picture of the sun like a sunrise and saying good morning. >> You feel a little bit better. >> Hi. Well, really scary. >> I completely understand. >> Absolutely. >> And I really I thought it was going to be over. I have some >> mom had posted a location yesterday >> and so I was at that location >> traffic Florida and Charlie >> yeah I mean it's just like a jurisdiction thing that's the only thing I mean we're just going to have to confer with sorry >> yeah that's what she's she's waiting on cuz I told I asked They do have an injunction that she filed. It's not confirmed whether it's sign and approved by the judge yet, but she did turn in the documents. >> And then he he sent her a picture. He had her p her face on his uh phone screen saber and sent her a picture. >> Yeah. >> Oh boy. Some crazy movie show. >> H some crazy movie [ __ ] >> Yeah. So it starts looking it up and let us know what's up. I'm ready. I mean, honestly, let go. >> What were you charging it? >> But that that's the thing is it's too it's a repeated behavior. I mean, it you have to talk to Deb. You probably have to talk to the state attorney to see if you can use something that they're alleging happened in New Jersey, >> especially if documentation on it. >> You know what I mean? >> It's just kind of >> We'll see. Okay, we're taking him to jail. >> Okay. >> And then after I just got off the phone with our um assistant state attorney, she's on the same page as me that if just based upon his statement along the fact that he's here, we're going to go ahead and we're going to take him for stalking and then we're going to dig and see if we can get him for some type of violation. And that's when I'll I'll call um your chief of police up there. >> Okay. >> Okay. I do not feel comfortable, which is why I called her. >> I can't say that he's not going to follow you. >> Like I have chill bumps just thinking about it. Like this as a female is scary. >> Yeah. >> Go ahead. Stand up for me. >> You can face me. >> All right. See, I'm going to drop this. Leave that right there. Okay. Am I under arrest? >> Yes, you are. >> Yeah, you can't. I'm >> taking off your watch and I'm number one. We have conversations with reasonable people and make people uncomfortable, >> right? It's just >> Did you Did you I mean, honestly, did you think there was any liab they perceive you as harmless? That's unfortunate >> cuz I mean like I'll be honest with you. If you followed me 22 hours, I wouldn't >> if you if you drove across the eastern seabboard, I would not think you like you literally almost can't get higher than New Jersey. There's maybe what three states higher than New Jersey and you drove all the way you got about 40 miles to the end of the road. That means you drove the entire eastern seabboard of the United States to come see a girl over blocked you 6 months ago. >> Is this all you have? >> Uh >> or do you have other property somewhere in the beach? >> In the car. >> In the car? >> What are we What are we going to do with that? >> I mean probably can't do it. >> I mean I can just I can leave. >> You could leave. Where are you going to go? >> Back home. Jersey. New Jersey. >> Yeah. >> You just think it's okay now. We can just let you get back in the car and go home. >> I mean, I don't know if it's okay. >> So, you already got Yeah. But no, no, you already got So, just so I may understand, you knew right from wrong because you got in the car and you drove to a police station where they told you you were under arrest for cyber harassment. >> But you still decided to drive 22 hours to a horse >> and you want us to let you go now? No, >> man. We kind of passed that point. Is your car far from here? >> Yes, it's >> Yeah, you saw it. >> Okay. I could tell the city about it, >> but their discretion is in. >> Do you have anything on in here? I'm right over there. >> My car's right there. If you want to put them in my car real quick. >> I'll be right there. >> Take your glasses off there, too. >> Just wait with this cell phone. >> You already told them that >> you have one. Yeah. What is this? Water. >> Yeah. >> It should be open. >> Right here. Watch your hand. Okay. We'll turn the AC for you, too. Can you turn the AC up, Das? The Fourth Amendment governs every seizure in this encounter. Before officers detained the subject, they needed reasonable, articulable suspicion, and they had it. an identified complaining witness, a confirmed address, and a subject who matched the description and was present. Under Terry versus Ohio, an investigative stop is lawful when officers can point to specific, articulable facts supporting a reasonable belief that criminal activity is a foot. This was not a hunch. It was a documented report from a witness who gave her name and filed paperwork. The Fifth Amendment question is harder. The subject was interviewed at length before arrest and his most damaging admission came before any Miranda warning is audible on camera. He told deputies he already knew he was under arrest in New Jersey, then drove south anyway. Whether Miranda attached depends on custody, not on handcuffs. Under Burkimer versus McCarti, the test is whether a reasonable person would have felt free to leave and with multiple officers present focused accusatory questioning at a location deputies controlled. That answer is not obvious. If the subject was in custody during that admission and no Miranda warning preceded it, the statement is suppressible. That is the procedural vulnerability in an otherwise well-run investigation. The rest of the evidence, the digital trail, the victim's testimony, the New Jersey charges survives independently. Florida's stalking statute requires a course of conduct, a series of acts evidencing continuity of purpose. The subject did not commit one impulsive act. He blocked and found the victim across multiple platforms, reached out to her friends, and monitored her family's public social media until he had a location. He did not guess she was in Florida. He used third party anonymous story viewing tools to monitor an account that had blocked him, identified the vacation location from a photo post, and drove 25 hours to confirm what he had already concluded. That is surveillance, not coincidence. The jurisdiction issue is real. Florida's stalking statute demands a course of repeated conduct, but most of the documented pattern happened in New Jersey. The deputies identified this on camera and called the assistant state attorney before arresting. That consultation produced a legally defensible charging decision. Florida's statute section 784.048 subsection 2 defines stalking as willfully and maliciously following, harassing, or cyberstalking another person in a course of conduct. First-degree misdemeanor, up to one year in county jail, and [clears throat] a fine up to $1,000. The cyberstalking element under subsection 1D requires electronic communication causing substantial emotional distress with no legitimate purpose. Routing around a block through anonymous third party tools is not a gray area. The block is the statement. Engineering a workaround is the conduct the statute was written for. The charge escalates to aggravated stalking a thirdderee felony up to 5 years state prison if the injunction was judicially signed before December 30th. The paperwork had been filed. Whether the judge had entered it into the system that day was the open question at arrest. Aggravating factors here are not subtle. The subject confirmed on camera that he knew he faced charges in New Jersey for the same conduct before he drove south. Courts treat continued conduct after documented awareness as evidence of willfulness, the element that separates a misunderstanding from a crime. A first misdemeanor stalking conviction in Florida typically produces probation, mandatory counseling, and a permanent no contact order. Two jurisdictions documenting the same behavioral pattern eliminates the first offender argument. The New Jersey charge is not background noise. It is the prosecution's strongest sentencing exhibit. The lead deputy earns a B+ patient interview technique, no leading questions, and the subject filled 20 minutes with self-inccriminating detail without being pushed. Calling the assistant state attorney before arresting on a multi-jurisdictional stalking case reflects sound procedural judgment. The Miranda gap is the one vulnerability. The subject earns a C. He did not resist arrest that matters. Everything else was voluntary. The surveillance methods, the prior charges, the reasoning. Deputies never had to ask twice for any of it. The Fifth Amendment was available from the first question. He never used it. First lesson. A digital block carries legal weight. routing around it through anonymous tools and alternate accounts does not defeat the block. It documents a course of conduct. Each technical workaround is a separate act in the statutory analysis. The method of circumvention becomes the evidence. Second lesson, continuing conduct after awareness of a criminal charge is one of the worst positions to be in at sentencing. The subject knew he drove anyway. That sequence, in his own words, is what the prosecution will use to argue against any leniency the defense requests. Third lesson. The right to remain silent applies from the first question, not from the moment handcuffs appear. The subject spoke for 20 minutes before arrest. He was never compelled. Every detail he provided was volunteered. Silence was always an option. He never took it. Let us know if there is an interaction or legal topic that you would like us to discuss in the comments below. Thank you for watching and don't forget to check out our channel for even more police interaction and courtroom content.