Man arrested on charge of stalking

PERU, Ind. (WLFI) - 32-year-old Christopher Couture from Peru, Indiana was arrested yesterday by the Indiana State Police on a felony charge of stalking and a misdemeanor charge of harassment.

Police began investigating Couture after Melinda Sonnenfelt of Madrid, Iowa reported that Couture had been contacting her with numerous unsolicited and unwanted e-mails, letters, and telephone calls since the year 2000. He allegedly continued to do so after being repeatedly told that Sonnenfelt did not want to have contact with him.

The police investigation revealed that Sonnenfelt and Couture had attended the same Miami County high school in the mid-1990s. Couture purportedly had an infatuation with Sonnenfelt that was not mutual. Police believe that in 2008 Couture may have used the internet to obtain Sonnenfelts work phone number and home addresses in Colorado and Iowa.

Couture was taken into custody without incident.

“Citizens should take every precaution to protect their private information,” stated Detective Tarrh. “If people use social networking sites or post personal information on the internet, it can sometimes be obtained by individuals who you did not intend to receive it.”

A person convicted of a class D felony can be imprisoned for up to three years and receive a maximum fine of $10,000.