Federal jury indicts man accused of repeatedly stalking, harassing Indianapolis couple

INDIANAPOLIS — A federal grand jury has indicted an Arizona man on allegations he stalked and harassed a woman and her husband after she rejected his attempts at a romantic relationship about 20 years ago.

Prosecutors allege Patrick Kearney, 40, of Saddlebrook, Ariz., started targeting the couple as early as September 2019 because the woman rejected his advances when they went to college together in the early 2000s. The woman hadn't seen Kearney since then

Kearney made statements to the woman including ones that she should have died during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, that she should eat poison, and that she should "go to hell," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

Prosecutors say Kearney repeatedly called the woman and left her messages that included profanity and insults. Additionally, he began harassing and threatening her husband after finding the couple's wedding website online.

Kearney made about 404 calls to the couple's phones and left at least 155 voicemails between October 2019 and September 2022, according to prosecutors.

On top of that, prosecutors say he mailed packages that contained insect poison and pornographic material.

Kearney made an initial appearance in a federal court in Arizona before he was transported to Indiana's southern district. He has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

He is facing nine counts total, which include charges of stalking, transmitting threats via interstate communications and harassing telephone calls.

If convicted on all counts, Kearney could face a total maximum sentence of 27 years, plus a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release.