Saturday

Wyoming Stalking Laws

WYOMING

6-2-505 - 1992. Terroristic threats; penalty.
(a) A person is guilty of a terroristic threat if he threatens to commit any violent felony with the intent to cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly or facility of public transportation, or otherwise to cause serious public inconvenience, or in reckless disregard of the risk of causing such inconvenience.
(b) A terroristic threat is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than three (3) years.

6-2-506 - 1993. Stalking; penalty.
(a) As used in this section:
(i) "Course of conduct" means a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over any period of time evidencing a continuity of purpose; (ii) "Harass" means to engage in a course of conduct, including but not limited to verbal threats, written threats, vandalism or nonconsensual physical contact, directed at a specific person or the family of a specific person, which the defendant knew or should have known would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, and which does in fact seriously alarm the person toward whom it is directed.
(b) Unless otherwise provided by law, a person commits the crime of stalking if, with intent to harass another person, the person engages in a course of conduct reasonably likely to harass that person, including but not limited to any combination of the following:
(i) Communicating, anonymously or otherwise, or causing a communication with another person by verbal, electronic, mechanical, telegraphic, telephonic or written means in a manner that harasses;
(ii) Following a person, other than within the residence of the defendant;
(iii) Placing a person under surveillance by remaining present outside his or her school, place of employment, vehicle, other place occupied by the person, or residence other than the residence of the defendant; or
(iv) Otherwise engaging in a course of conduct that harasses another person.
(c) This section does not apply to an otherwise lawful demonstration, assembly or picketing.
(d) Except as provided under subsection (e) of this section, stalking is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), or both.
(e) A person convicted of stalking under subsection (b) of this section is guilty of felony stalking punishable by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years, if:
(i) The act or acts leading to the conviction occurred within five (5) years of a prior conviction under this subsection, or under subsection
(b) of this section, or under a substantially similar law of another jurisdiction;
(ii) The defendant caused serious bodily harm to the victim or another person in conjunction with committing the offense of stalking;
(iii) The defendant committed the offense of stalking in violation of any condition of probation, parole or bail; or (iv) The defendant committed the offense of stalking in violation of a temporary or permanent order of protection issued pursuant to W.S.7-3-508 or 7-3-509, or pursuant to a substantially similar law of another jurisdiction.

Monday

Familiar Stalkers

Familiar stalkers are typically those with whom you have had some sort of intimate relationship. Often portrayed as the “ex” who can’t let go, these people stalk as a way to maintain control over the victim. The most recognized of the familiar stalker is the dejected ex-partner, however with increasing frequency other family members, friends, adopted children, biological parents (who gave their children up for adoption), ex-friends and “poor relations” are becoming familiar stalkers.

Vengeful Stalking

Vengeful stalking is one of the fastest growing crimes today. Unlike the other forms of stalking which are based on attempts to develop or maintain an intimate relationship, the vengeful stalker seeks to punish the victim for some real or imagined slight. While the other types of stalkers may ultimately employ vengeful stalking tactics, the person who starts out as a vengeful stalker is often a disgruntled employee or co-worker, business associate, client, or business competitor. The stalker seeks to destroy the victim’s business, financial stability, marriage, social position, or reputation.

Delusional Stalkers

Delusional stalkers generally suffer from some form of mental illness. These people create an intimate relationship (positive or negative) with the victim in their own mind. They may have little or no actual contact with the victim, however this type of stalker is generally considered the most tenacious, often stalking their victim for many years.

Erotomania

Erotomania is a form of delusional stalking also called the “unrequited love” syndrome. This form of stalking is typically associated with celebrity stalking. The person suffering from Erotomania believes that they are actually having a relationship with the victim and that the victim in fact loves the stalker. Some even believe that they are actually married to or have children with the victim. The person suffering from Erotomania believes that the victim is actually communicating their love through a series of cryptic messages. The person stalking a famous singer may believe that certain songs are actually messages of love just for the stalker. The person stalking a famous actor may believe that the color of clothing or the turns of a phrase in an interview are signals of devotion. Some suffering from Erotomania believe that they are in a relationship with a fictional character (such as a movie or television character), but most have become obsessed with a celebrity.