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Saratoga County resident Michael Arnold, age 64, of Schuylerville, was arrested moments after landing his 1976 Cessna plane at the Saratoga County Airport on Thursday, June 1.
According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Arnold flew his plane “in violation of an order of protection” that was issued by the Town of Saratoga Court.
That protection order was issued on behalf of Cassandra Wilusz, a mother and owner of the Revolution Cafe in Schuylerville, Albany station WRGB reports.
Writing on the cafe’s Facebook page on Friday, June 2, Wilusz said she’s spent the past four years being “stalked” by a man who she accused of taking photos of her and sending her “Hannibal Lecter” cutouts depicting her, her family, and friends.
“Pages of unintelligible ramblings of how horrible you are for a variety of reasons but mainly for supporting the community and for just existing.
"Emails criticizing how you are the worst human trying to cut you to the core,” Wilusz continued, adding that she’s also encountered fake Facebook accounts meant to “intimidate” her.
The stalking began when the pilot, a former customer at her cafe, sent Wilusz unsolicited “inappropriate” photos by email and she rejected his advances, she told WRGB.
Since then, he has reportedly flown over the village several times a day, often directly above her home and business.
Wilusz has filed “many” police reports and obtained restraining orders and is “constantly looking to see where he is lurking,” she said on Facebook.
“Being a business owner is tough, being a woman business owner is sometimes tougher, being a mom trying to protect your family in the NY judicial system is really the toughest,” she continued.
"Knowing someone wakes up each day with so much hate for you in their heart they want nothing more than to watch you suffer and find ways on land and above to make it happen.
“I’ve been gutted in this life and there is not much more that can be taken. I no longer am afraid, truly I’m more afraid for the world to not know the truth.”
Wilusz told her followers that she hopes the ordeal will serve as a lesson for others that “NO is a full sentence.”
“Teaching the next generation the power of NO and the ripple their own voice can have when supported by a village," she said.
According to sheriff’s officials, Arnold was combative with deputies when they arrested him at the airport.
He is scheduled to appear in court later this month on pending stalking charges, WRGB reports.
In addition, he is facing the following charges stemming from his arrest on Thursday:
- Second-degree criminal contempt (misdemeanor)
- Resisting arrest (misdemeanor)
- Obstruction of governmental administration
Arnold was arraigned in the Milton Town Court and was later released after posting $1,500 cash bail.
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