A Hanover Township New Jersey man was recently convicted of stalking a local woman.

The 44-year-old suspect, who is from the Whippany section of Hanover, NJ, was convicted on charges of stalking and contempt of court at the conclusion of a trial in Morris County Superior Court.

According to prosecutors, the stalking took place over the course of an entire year. The stalking reportedly began in February 2012; police arrested the suspect in February 2013.

The suspect had first been arrested in September 2012 after the victim filed a complaint against him. At that time, a no contact order was put into effect as a condition of the suspect’s release on bail.

Prosecutors said that the suspect subsequently ignored the no contact order and continued to stalk the victim. The stalking allegedly occurred at the victim’s workplace, her home, and her boyfriend’s residence. The suspect reportedly followed the victim in Chatham Township, Morris Plains, and Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.

When a warrant was issued for the suspect’s arrest, he reportedly left NJ and fled to Cincinnati, Ohio. He was eventually placed under arrest in Cincinnati by local police.

After the announcement of the conviction, a spokesperson for the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office provided details about the case. Authorities did not reveal how the suspect knew the victim, but it is believed that they did not have a prior romantic relationship.

The suspect is set to be sentenced for the stalking conviction in late July. He will have to return to Morris County Superior Court in Morristown NJ for the sentencing hearing.

At sentencing, the suspect faces severe penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:12-10, stalking can be classified as a third degree felony or a fourth degree felony. A conviction for third degree stalking is punishable by a sentence of 3-5 years in NJ State Prison.

To learn more about this case, view the NJ.com article entitled “Whippany Man Convicted of Stalking Woman for a Year.”