A man accused of stalking a woman and threatening to torture her children was convicted earlier this month and could face a nearly 40-year prison sentence.
Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers announced the verdict against Nikolas Jordan, 29, on Friday. A jury found Jordan guilty of stalking, a Level 5 felony, and arson, a Level 4 felony, on July 12.
According to prosecutors, Jordan identified a female victim on Facebook in September and initially began a cordial conversation with her. But within days of exchanging numbers, Jordan bombarded the victim with upward of 350 text messages.
"Some of the messages mentioned torturing the children, killing them and burning their house down," Moers' office wrote in a news release. "At one point as he stalked the victim, Jordan poured a fuel-type liquid on her neighbor’s car and lit it on fire, causing the vehicle to be declared a total loss."
Jordan was formally charged with stalking in October and arson in December. According to court records, prosecutors offered Jordan at least two different potential plea agreements, but Jordan declined to accept them.
In early July, just days before his trial, Jordan refused to appear for a scheduled court hearing to discuss a revamped plea agreement. Ahead of a prior hearing, he was removed from the Vanderburgh County jail's videoconference room "due to his behavior," court records state.
Jordan's July 12 trial lasted just one day, and concluded without the need for the victim to testify, according to Moers. The jury found him guilty as charged.
"Law enforcement, including my office, was able to gather solid evidence to convict this defendant who worked hard to intimidate the victim in this case by threatening her and her children in a string of horrific messages which ended in a fire," Moers said after the verdict was reached.
Vanderburgh County Superior Court Judge Robert J. Pigman is scheduled to sentence Jordan on Aug. 25. Jordan could face a sentence of up to 38 years.
