Ex-beau gets 10-year term for stalking, threats, fraud

BENTONVILLE — An Indiana man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for stalking a former girlfriend.

Tyler Burton Klingensmith, 30, of Indianapolis pleaded guilty to stalking, terroristic threatening, financial identity fraud, unlawful distribution of sexual images or recordings and violation of a protection order.

Klingensmith also was charged with sexual extortion, but the charge was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

A woman told police she gave Klingensmith money because he threatened to post photographs of her or show up in Bentonville and harass her, according to a probable cause affidavit. Klingensmith is accused of sending the woman numerous email messages, including a threat to send all her friends an email with pictures and videos, according to the affidavit.

The woman told police Klingensmith created Facebook and Instagram accounts and a Tinder profile in her name and placed an ad about her on Craigslist, according to the affidavit.

Two men went to the woman’s home because of the information on the sites, according to court documents.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green ordered Klingensmith not be allowed any computer access. He is accused of violating a no-contact order by attempting to communicate with the woman through the jail’s messaging system for inmates.

Green sentenced Klingensmith to the Arkansas Department of Correction. He must abide by a suspended sentence agreement for 10 years after his release.