MEMPHIS, Tenn. — WREG obtained police records on a former Memphis officer arrested again for stalking his ex-fiancé.
Those records indicate Joshua Barnes admitted to putting a tracking app on his ex-fiancé’s phone in the past.
This week he was arrested for a second time for stalking, and he’s out of jail on a $20,000 bond.
People want to know why.
When WREG got a hold of Joshua Barnes’ personnel file, we learned he dated his ex-fiancé for two years.
The engagement was called off.
The documents indicate his ex-girlfriend asked him to stay away from her and to stop texting and calling.
Some people we spoke to said they don’t understand how Joshua Barnes got out of jail again.
“I feel like he should get treated like everybody else,” said a man who lives in the neighborhood.
According to Barnes’ personnel file, his girlfriend found an app on her phone that allowed Barnes to track her.
The former Memphis police officer was charged with aggravated stalking Tuesday for allegedly smashing his ex’s windshield.
Barnes was also arrested in January for stalking his ex-fiancée and violating an order of protection after the woman found a tracking device under her car.
Last month his bond was one thousand dollars.
He’s out again, this time on a $20,000 bond.
Criminal defense lawyer Blake Ballin says there are a number of factors to consider when setting bonds.
“The nature of the charge, how serious the case is, how much time you’re looking at, how serious the evidence is,” he said.
They also look into the criminal history.
“If someone’s out on bond for a case, then picks up another charge, generally the bond will be double the amount that it would have been otherwise. Ao if you’re stacking up charges while you’re out on bond, your bonds are going to be higher and higher,” he said.
WREG went to Barnes’ home but no one was there, but people in his neighborhood hope this type of behavior stops.
Memphis police say Barnes was relieved of duty in November during an internal affairs investigation. He resigned after his first arrest in January.
