By the Daily Post staff
A Los Altos man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of using social media to stalk and threaten a high school classmate for more than a decade after they had a class together.
Matthew Cringle, 29, is accused of felony stalking, stalking under a prohibited restraining order, stalking after having been convicted of a prior felony and making criminal threats. The woman, who lives in Mountain View, told police that Cringle seemed to fixate on her after she asked him to cover his mouth when he coughed in the one class they shared in high school.
After that, Cringle allegedly set up fake Facebook profiles to send sexually explicit messages to the woman and her friends and family.
Messages called violent and threatening
Later, Cringle sent the woman sexually violent and threatening messages, police said. On April 23, the woman called police after receiving explicit messages, some of which appeared to be from fake accounts set up by Cringle.
Recently, Cringle began to use his personal email to contact the woman, including asking her for her whereabouts, according to police.
Cringle was arrested without incident yesterday and booked into Santa Clara County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
“This is the first holiday season in over a decade where the victim can relax and not worry about looking over her shoulder,” Mountain View police Sgt. Tim Dahl said in a statement. “(Cringle) has had enough opportunities to change his behavior, and he still didn’t stop. She shouldn’t have to live in fear.”
Police believe Cringle may have stalked other people and are asking for anyone with additional information to contact Dahl at [email protected], referencing case number 18-02540.
