Woman in tears revealing how online marketplace listing led to 'stalker' sending disturbing messages and gifts
A woman who listed her iPhone on an online marketplace has revealed how her listing led to years of stalking from a man she had never met.
Registered nurse Melanie Smith took to the online space to list her phone, but soon began receiving threatening emails, as well as thousands of texts and online messages from the man.
She also received an influx of inappropriate gifts, including lingerie, sex toys, condoms and flowers.
She told Inside Edition: "I got this bizarre message from this person I never met, it had some sexual comments on it.
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"'I've carefully chosen you to be a "victim"'. A lot of sexual, violent things that he wanted to do to me."
Melanie blocked the man, but he continued to contact her using various new numbers, before sending her multiple gifts, amounting to 40 pieces of lingerie.
Despite filing multiple police reports over the course of a number of years, Melanie says police did 'very little' until the man showed up at her parents' home in Long Island at midnight.
Although the man was arrested and charged with harassment and stalking, before spending 90 days in jail, he has now been released after asking for a psychological examination.
Following the examination, he was deemed mentally unfit to proceed with the case.
However, after being released, Melanie says the man is still harassing her and still sending gifts to her address.
"I don't sleep well, I have nightmares that include him, I thought I heard the door creek in my bedroom... I'm like, is that him?"
People have been left horrified by the case online, with many calling for more to be done.
"Are they not going to do anything until he actually hurts me?" Melanie told Newsday.
"I don't think I live a normal life anymore.
"They questioned me if I had an OnlyFans account, if I met him online, if I dated him, I wasn't taken seriously at all."
Inside Edition has explained that the police department have informed them that they are 'taking the matter seriously' and 'looking at all options to hold the accused stalker accountable'. They have also said the officer on the case has been in regular contact with Melanie.
UNILAD has reached out to Suffolk County Police Department as well as the online marketplace for comment.
The UNILAD Team