WINONA, Minn. (KTTC) -
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a St. Cloud man named Donald Melvin Thier, 65, for allegedly harassing a woman in Winona by flooding her mailbox with junk mail.
Thier's last known address was at the Thrifty Motel in St. Cloud, so that's the address listed on the criminal complaint in the case.
Winona Police Patrol Sgt. Eric Engrav said there is no lack of evidence in this case.
"In all, there were 33 magazines, 24 oversized envelopes, and 91 letters, none of which Victim signed up for," said Sgt. Engrav.
The Winona woman victimized in this harassment case told a police investigator that the junk mail started arriving in May at an unusual high rate, and suspected it was the work of Thier, because he had done similar things leading to a conviction September 3, 2017 on a charge of Pattern of Stalking Conduct.
An active Harassment Restraining Order signed by a District Court judge was personally served to Thier on November 2. The HRO orders Thier to have no "direct or indirect contact" with the woman. Because Thier is on felony probation for similar conduct against the woman, Winona police are now seeking to arrest him on the new charges.
In a two count criminal complaint filed Thursday, June 14, by prosecutor Andrew LeTourneau, Thier faces charges of Stalking - Use Mail/Deliver Letter/Telegram/Package, a gross misdemeanor, and Violate Harassment Restraining Order, another gross misdemeanor. District Judge James Fabian issued a nationwide arrest warrant and ordered that local authorities hold Thier for Winona authorities.
Sgt. Engrav said he "immediately recognized the hand writing" on the envelopes addressed to the woman and her daughter, because he is "extremely familiar with Defendant's hand writing from previous professional involvements."