By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

James Douglas Stambaugh

WARSAW — A Pierceton man was recently sentenced after stalking a woman despite a protective order.

James Douglas Stambaugh, 47, 5236 E. Washington Road, Pierceton, was charged with stalking, a level 5 felony. Two invasion of privacy charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

On Nov. 7, 2017, a protective order was issued for Stambaugh to not directly or indirectly contact a woman. The order was served on Nov. 10, 2017, with an expiration date of Nov. 6, 2019.

On July 5, 2018, a Warsaw Police officer met with the woman regarding Stambaugh violating the protective order. Court documents state the woman was traveling on Fort Wayne Street when she noticed Stambaugh following her. Stambaugh walked in front of the woman’s vehicle, leaned against the vehicle and crossed his arms to prevent her from moving.

Stambaugh then walked back to his vehicle and pulled around to the left side of the woman’s vehicle while entering an intersection, nearly hitting two vehicles and disregarding an automatic signal. The officer also saw a video taken of Stambaugh doing exactly what the woman said he did. Stambaugh’s vehicle was later found at a local business. He admitted to knowing there was an active protective order and said he was just trying to see his son.

On July 6, 2018, the woman said she was walking into her place of employment when she heard Stambaugh yell at her and saw his vehicle drive by. Stambaugh told officers he couldn’t remember if he had driven by the woman’s place of employment.

For stalking, Stambaugh received a five-year jail sentence, with four years of the sentence suspended on probation. The case will be served consecutively to a misdemeanor case. He has 87 days of jail time credit in the stalking case. The court also has no objection to Stambaugh serving his sentence through work release, home detention or Kosciusko County Community Corrections.

A no-contact order is also currently in place between Stambaugh and the woman.