A Muldrow man has been arrested and charged with felony stalking after he allegedly followed another individual to their place of employment and was found to have a gun in his possession.
John Schuttak, 65, was formally charged on July 3 and is now scheduled for a 9 a.m. August 28 felony disposition docket in Sequoyah County District Court. According to court records, Schuttak is facing additional criminal misdemeanor charges of threatening to perform act of violence and reckless conduct with a firearm.
Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s deputy Daniel Whitus said on the morning of July 1 he was dispatched to an area business to take a report of alleged stalking. The reporting party told the deputy they were allegedly being stalked by Schuttak, who lives at the intersection of Hwy. 64 and old Hwy. 64.
The reporting party alleged on the afternoon of June 28 they pulled up to the stop sign of the intersection where they were met by Schuttak, who was sitting nearby on his lawnmower. The reporting party said Schuttak reportedly got off the lawnmower, walked into the roadway, and then began recording the reporting party while in their vehicle.
The following morning, the reporting party said when they pulled up to the intersection, Schuttak got in his truck and allegedly followed the reporting party to their place of employment, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
The reporting party said every time they made a lane change, Schuttak would allegedly do the same, and after pulling into the parking lot, he continued to observe the reporting party while circling the block. He then pulled into the parking lot next to the reporting party, where he could face and look at the reporting party.
The reporting party said they remained in their vehicle until a co-worker arrived, and then called 911.
While investigating, Whitus found that Schuttak had at- tempted to purchase a firearm after his was taken from him during a previous incident. It also was discovered that Schuttak had previously been charged with a felony in New York, according to the affidavit.
A few hours later, Schuttak was arrested and taken into custody at a Sallisaw business. After a search of his person, the deputy reported finding a .25 caliber pistol. Schuttak was then transported to the Sequoyah County Detention Center where he was booked in on the charge.
If found guilty of felony stalking, District Attorney Jack Thorp said the charge is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or both imprisonment and fine.