FARMINGTON, Maine — A local man faces a charge of stalking after Franklin County District Court officers reported to police that he was following them as they left court Monday.
Benjamin Soha, 27, became upset in Farmington District Court over a late fine or payment, Farmington Police Department secretary Bonnie Pomeroy said. When the officers left court after 4 p.m., they became suspicious that Soha was following them. Farmington police Sgt. Ed Hastings responded and determined there was enough evidence to arrest Soha.
Soha didn’t harm the officers, made no threats and was not armed, but it did look like he was trying to intimidate them, she said.
Soha remained at Franklin County Detention Center on Tuesday. Bail was set at $2,000 cash. He is expected to appear in court Wednesday, according to an officer at the detention center.
This is stupid. The legal definition of stalking is “a course of conduct” (defined as two or more incidents) engaging in such activity. I’m sorry, but this was one incident–set him free. Now, I don’t disagree that he was being a jerk and should be punished, BUT I have personally suffered a lot more stalking from someone with mounds of evidence only to have the cops make fun of me. Sorry, if I can’t be protected, neither can you, especially when I met the legal definition and you don’t. The system only takes care of its own. Its corrupt.
I’m going to have to assume (since it gave no indication in the article) that after a thorough line of questioning by the responding officers, it became apparent that he had intent. Otherwise, the story makes it sound like he was arrested because someone didn’t like him walking in the same parking lot, or on the same sidewalk as them. Maybe he was waiting for a ride? :)