RANLO, N.C. — A former police officer, Dell Garren, is facing charges for allegedly stalking a woman he had a previous relationship with, marking the third time he has been charged with stalking the same woman since October.
Garren appeared virtually in Gaston County Court on Tuesday, where Judge Megan Shepard issued him a $250,000 secured bond.
This decision comes after Garren allegedly violated a protection order by coming within 1,000 feet of the victim, despite being on a $50,000 unsecured bond and wearing an ankle monitor.
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Warner expressed concerns over Garren’s repeated violations, stating, ‘The fact that I saw fit to give Mr. Garren a chance to comply with a GPS monitor and unsecured bond, and he has not taken that opportunity by continually coming within 1,000 feet.’
Prosecutors allege that Garren was caught on camera last month following a truck the victim was in into the Cherryville Police Department parking lot, which violated the protection order.
The order bars Garren from coming within one thousand feet of the victim’s home or her brother’s house. Garren’s attorney, Rick Beam, argued that the GPS monitor does not provide the full context, noting that the victim had contacted Garren on multiple occasions.
Beam also mentioned that Garren’s wife works on Main Street in Cherryville, where many of the GPS violations were recorded.
Judge Shepard, while not considering Garren a flight risk, emphasized the importance of community safety in her decision to impose a secured bond.
‘I have to consider the safety of the community with the situation … It’s concerning,’ she stated.
Garren remains under strict conditions, including the continued use of an ankle monitor, as the legal proceedings continue to unfold.
VIDEO: Former Ranlo officer charged for second time with stalking woman
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