LOGAN — A 62-year-old homeless man has been sentenced to prison for stalking a volunteer at the William A. Burnard Warming Center. Loren Carlton McCarty was given the maximum term after a judge called his actions “totally inappropriate.”
McCarty was sentenced Monday in Logan’s 1st District Court. He previously pleaded guilty to stalking, a third-degree felony.
According to prosecutors, McCarty began messaging the victim after she provided assistance to him at the seasonal homeless shelter in Logan. The text messages, sometimes more than 200 a day, were romantic in nature. Later, he sent flowers and letters to the woman’s residence, even as she repeatedly asked him to stop.
The woman became more concerned for her safety after learning McCarty had previously been convicted of stalking and was fired from the Logan City Police Department. He also threatened to harm himself, if the woman contacted law enforcement.
During Monday’s sentencing hearing, McCarty asked the court not to send him to prison. He admitted his “actions were stupid.”
McCarty apologized to the victim and promised to not contact her again. He explained how he had been homeless for several years and lost all of his possessions.
Judge Spencer Walsh said McCarty’s actions warranted prison, especially due to his four prior convictions for stalking, beginning in 2002. He sentenced him to a term of zero-to-five-years at the Utah State Correctional Facility, recommending credit for 67 days previously served.