Man sentenced to probation in harassment case

Chalfont man admits to charges stemming from series of incidents in North Wales

COURTHOUSE » A Bucks County man faces several years of court supervision after he admitted to harassing a North Wales man through a series of bizarre incidents outside the victim’s residence.

Francis X. “Frank” Barnes, 59, of the 100 block of Kings Court, Chalfont, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to six years’ probation after he pleaded guilty to multiple misdemeanor charges of harassment and disorderly conduct in connection with incidents that occurred in October 2016. The sentence was imposed by Judge William R. Carpenter as part of a plea agreement.

The judge ordered Barnes to have no contact with the victim or his family and to stay away from the victim’s residence. Barnes also must pay $380 in restitution in connection with the incidents.

The investigation began on Oct. 3 when the victim discovered someone painted a bull’s-eye target on the side of the his new work truck, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by North Wales Police Officer Lynne Custer. At the time, the victim also showed police several text messages he received from Barnes in July and August, one of which called him a vulgar name and another with the number “666,” according to the criminal complaint.

Two days later, according to court documents, the victim contacted police to tell them that Barnes had pulled up in front of his South Fourth Street home in a white Cadillac, walked over to the victim’s truck and crouched down near the tires before leaving. The victim captured the incident on videotape and identified Barnes as the culprit. Police subsequently discovered that the valve stems on both passenger side tires of the victim’s truck “had been crushed,” according to the arrest affidavit.

Investigators determined Barnes owned a 2016 white Cadillac, court documents state.

On Oct. 9, the North Wales man reported that a blue-and-white basketball had been left on his property with phrases including “Your [sic] Dead,” “F--- You,” “Game On” and “It’s Time” scrawled on the ball with black marker, according to the criminal complaint.

On Oct. 10, the victim notified police that a white Cadillac drove past his house and someone threw a bag containing mouse traps and wet red paint onto his driveway. The words “Rat Bitch” were written on the outside of the bag, police said. That incident also was captured on video, court papers indicate.

Finally, shortly before midnight on Oct. 10, North Wales police were on patrol in the area of the victim’s residence when they observed a green Buick with a loud muffler performing a “burnout” in front of the victim’s home. When police conducted a traffic stop, they identified Barnes as the driver, Custer alleged.

Barnes allegedly admitted doing “burnouts” in front of the victim’s house “to harass him.”

Authorities did not indicate in court papers if Barnes provided a reason why he was harassing the victim.

Other charges of terroristic threats, criminal mischief and stalking were dismissed against Barnes as part of the plea agreement.