Man accepts plea deal for stalking sheriff

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A Columbus man accused of cyberstalking Delaware County Sheriff Russell Martin reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors Monday in U.S. District Court.

William E. Young, 54, was indicted by a federal grand jury in August and charged with cyberstalking Martin ever since Martin arrested Young for stalking a woman in 1999. Court documents indicate that Young created four web pages about Martin and allegedly mailed letters on numerous occasions to Martin’s wife and family, and to the Delaware Police Department, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Delaware County Jail, and numerous other local organizations and businesses.

Court documents indicated Monday that Young had reached an agreement with prosecutors and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

A hearing for the plea had not been scheduled as of Monday afternoon.

On Twitter Monday, Martin said he was “continually grateful for the diligence and competency” of the FBI and federal prosecutors. He added that he would release a statement after Young’s case is adjudicated.

After Young was indicted, Martin released a statement saying, “Over the last three decades in law enforcement, I’ve arrested or investigated thousands of criminals, many of them violent and extremely dangerous. The man the FBI arrested has threatened and harassed me and my family for years, and while I signed up for this job, my family didn’t. We deserve to be safeguarded from danger — just as any other citizen…”

Young remained in federal custody Monday.

Attempts on Monday to contact Young’s attorney Andrew Sanderson were unsuccessful.

Young
http://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2017/11/web1_william-E-Young-1.jpgYoung

By Glenn Battishill

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Contact Glenn Battishill at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.

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