A former state trooper convicted of stalking his ex-wife and sending strangers to her house for sex by impersonating her online was sentenced to four years probation.
The jury in state District Judge Sharen Wilson's court deliberated less than an hour before deciding the sentence for Kevin Safford, 41, of Fort Worth.
Safford's father, Larry Safford, and his teenage daughter were among the witnesses who tearfully asked jurors to consider probation because of all that he does to support his ailing parents and his children. He had been facing up to 10 years in prison.
Jurors convicted Safford Thursday on two counts of stalking and one count of online impersonation in a months-long campaign of hate against his ex-wife, Lawana Safford Siney, of Saginaw. Safford's computer linked him to an online adult dating website, Fling.com, where a phony profile of Siney had been set up seeking sex partners.
Siney told jurors that the onslaught began with hundreds of text messages in the spring of 2009 and escalated to telephone threats against her made to her aunt and mother. Then, in October 2009, men began showing up at her door believing she had invited them to her house for sex through the website.
Siney faced Safford in court after the sentencing.
"You took complete advantage of my trust," she said. "So now we're in a courtroom, and you're a convicted felon. I really hope now that you realize you are not above the law."
Prosecutors Steven Gebhardt and Andrea Townsend had asked the jury for the maximum sentence of 10 years if they were considering probation, to send a message to the community. But they said the jury's decision was fair.
"The level of violence on the part of the defendant was escalating beyond simple harassment," Gebhardt said afterward in a written statement. "They jury sent the message that this type of behavior simply will not be tolerated in Tarrant County."
Safford was a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety for more than four years before resigning amid allegations he had falsified ticket information. He also served as a jailer for the Tarrant County sheriff's department and a police officer with the Lake Worth department.
-Dianna Hunt
Wow I can not beleave the world we live in today... This man should have got much more then this and to read about how the court was asked to consider his kids and parents that he takes care of (really) what about his ex wife and her kids that were put in the situation with all the strange men showing up on there door step expecting sexual pleasures from her do to his fake account in her name??? Thank god that god was with them at thouse times because the crazys out in this world today could have killed her and her kids... This type of sentence is why there are more people taking the punishments into there own hands because the law is failing us all as they are suppost to protect and serve not slap on the rist untill someone gets killed or raped and so on.... But do do beleave he will still have to answer to god for it all and I pray he dont do anything else to his ex wife or anyone else...
Posted by: Kathy | August 30, 2012 at 05:40 PM
Some penalty for destroying a persons life.
Posted by: Ron | August 30, 2012 at 08:39 PM
A slap on the wrist. What a joke. I'm sure the ex-wife feels real safe, NOT! I guess the law doesn't apply when it's one of your own.
Posted by: Former Victim | August 31, 2012 at 12:55 AM
What do you expect he is a police officer.
Posted by: small dog | September 03, 2012 at 02:34 PM