Cops: Man stalked woman for almost 3 years
Mug shot of Joseph Mathews, who police say they arrested on charges of stalking. (March 10, 2011) Credit: SCPD
An East Patchogue man was arrested on charges of stalking and harassing a Miller Place woman and her family for almost three years, police said Thursday.
Joseph Mathews, 37, of 23 Bayview Ave., was charged with stalking, aggravated harassment and resisting arrest. Mathews, an unemployed cook, was apparently romantically infatuated with the victim, a 49-year-old woman, who is married and the mother of one child, said Lt. Michael Murphy, Sixth Precinct Crime Section commanding officer.
After Mathews' advances were rejected, the woman and her family received unwanted phone calls and mail from him, beginning in 2008, Murphy said.
"A lot of the phone calls were of a sexual nature," he said, "some threatening her family."
Mathews was able to conceal his identity and evaded police for months until the woman agreed to meet with him Wednesday at a Starbucks on Route 112 in Medford. When Mathews arrived and was identified, Crime Section officers were able to apprehend him after a brief foot chase.
He was released on bail Thursday pending a court appearance Friday in First District Court, Central Islip.
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