PRESS RELEASE

December 4, 2009

FORMER TEHAMA COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY SENTENCED

TO 3 YEARS 8 MONTHS FOR STALKING        

 

Jack Allen Roberts, 34, of Redding, was sentenced today by the Honorable James Ruggiero to 3 years 8 months in state prison.  Roberts plead guilty to five felonies and one misdemeanor; including two counts of stalking, two counts of vandalism, one count of attempted vandalism and one count of Battery upon a Non-Cohabitating Spouse. 

Over a one year time period Roberts stalked his adult female victim by sending anonymous letters, making threatening and harassing phone calls, following her, entering her vehicle and home, and vandalizing her vehicle, home and the home and vehicle of her fiancé.  The vehicles of the victim and her fiancé were vandalized approximately eight times at their homes, while parked at their work, and while parked at the river trail.  Roberts also vandalized their home by pouring weed killer and gasoline on the plants surrounding the house.  The victim obtained a restraining order against Roberts, yet the conduct did not stop.  The victim installed video surveillance cameras and took other protective actions to ensure her safety.  She reported several of these incidents to the Redding Police Department capturing the attention of the investigations division. 

Redding Police Detectives used a Data Tracker placed on Roberts vehicle to track his movements in the weeks leading up to his arrest.  The tracker put Roberts in the parking lot of the victim’s work at the time when gasoline was thrown over her vehicle.  Roberts was caught by RPD outside the victim’s home at approximately 4:00 a.m., dressed in all black.  Roberts had with him grass, weed and root killer, diesel power performance booster, lead substitute (fuel additive), a container filled with BB’s, a fuel spout for a fuel can, a sling shot, three rags, a glass cutter, two gloves, a black face mask, binoculars and paint stripper.  Many of these items had been used in his previous vandalisms.  He was immediately arrested.

Roberts is a former Tehama County Sheriff’s Deputy who was working as a private investigator at the time of this case.  While stalking his victim, Roberts was working as a private investigator in the Mark Wayne Gray case.  Roberts had been hired by Gray’s victim to help her obtain proof that Gray was stalking her.  Gray was sentenced earlier this year to 20 years 2 months in state prison for stalking. 

The case was investigated by Redding Police Department Detective John Poletski and was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett.  The victims were supported throughout the court process by Shasta County Victim Assistance Center Advocate Deborah Heidi.