CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) — A case against an 83-year-old Knox man accused of harassing a local woman moved forward in court on Tuesday .
Court documents indicate a second-degree misdemeanor count of Intimidating a Witness/Victim to Refrain From Reporting filed against 83-year-old Frank K. Shoup was held for court on Tuesday, November 17.
The following charges against Shoup were dismissed:
– Criminal Trespass-Enter Structure, Felony 2
– Stalking — Repeatedly Commit Acts To Cause Fear, Misdemeanor 1
Shoup is currently free on $50,000.00 monetary bail.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint, on September 9, a known female victim reported that Frank Shoup had been following her around for no reason since June.
The victim told police that around 8:00 p.m. on September 8, she was at a retail store in Knox when Shoup drove past on State Route 338 then pulled into the car wash beside the store. She reported she then left the store and drove straight home, and as she was pulling in the driveway, Shoup drove by her going east on State Route 208.
According to the complaint, the victim stated that around 5:00 p.m. on September 4, she was getting ready to leave her parents’ residence in Sligo when she saw Shoup, and when she was driving home, she came across Shoup sitting at a gas station in Knox.
The victim also reported that between 12:10 p.m. and 12:20 p.m. on August 29, she was at a gas station in Knox when Shoup pulled in behind her and yelled: “You need to talk to me. You don’t need to take me to court,” according to the complaint.
Shoup also reportedly told the victim he spoke to her ex-husband and wrote down everything he said about her and said he was going to have her arrested and “get money out of her.” The victim reported he said he “has done this before,” leading her to believe he meant following another person around, according to the complaint.
The victim said she went into the gas station to pay, and when she came back out, Shoup was near her vehicle, and told her again that he had spoken to her ex-husband and said again: “You don’t want to take me to court.”
The complaint notes the victim also reported that Shoup drives past her residence at least twice each day, and if she is not there, he stops and looks in her windows.
On August 21 and again July 31, when the victim had her vehicle at a local business for service, she came out and found Shoup parked between two other nearby businesses. On July 29, when she was at a local bank, Shoup drove by and did a “girly wave” to her, the complaint states.
On July 20, while the victim was attempting to leave a retail store in Knox, Shoup reportedly pulled in and blocked her exit, then got out of his vehicle and told her she needs to return her new vehicle, saying she couldn’t afford it. He then asked her to go spotting deer, according to the complaint.
On July 7, after the victim returned from purchasing her vehicle, Shoup allegedly drove up beside her while she was pulling into a retail store in Clarion, then beeped and waved, leaving her to wonder how he recognized her new vehicle, the complaint indicates.
The victim also reported that on June 21, around 7:00 p.m., she was at a retail store in Marianne, and when she came out, Shoup was parked across the street in the car washing parking lot. He then pulled across the road, in front of traffic, and came up to her to ask how her car was running. The complaint notes the victim explained a wheel had fallen off her vehicle the previous week.
According to the complaint, Shoup has also called the victim and asked for “a sex act,” which he has offered to pay her for. He has also reportedly dropped off random items at her residence approximately 20 times, including his wife’s tennis shoes and prescriptions, according to the complaint.
The complaint notes the victim has told Shoup to stop multiple times.
She reported Shoup has walked into her residence previously, and she had to push him back out. The victim told police the first time he walked into her residence, which occurred in the fall of 2019, he said he was hoping to catch her in the shower. She then told him she did not want him there, and he reportedly slapped her across the face. She then pushed him out the door and locked it. She told police Shoup then stood outside yelling at her, according to the complaint.
She also told police the second time he walked into her residence was around the beginning of the year, and the most recent time occurred on July 21.
The complaint notes the “court” Shoup was referring to was a summary hearing on September 9 regarding a summary harassment citation filed through District Court 18-3-03.
Court documents indicate Shoup pleaded guilty to summary harassment and summary defiant trespass charges related to an incident in Beaver Township on July 25. He was fined $100 on each of the two charges.
Shoup was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill at 10:45 a.m. on Friday, September 18.
