MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For the fourth time this year, a former Memphis Police Department officer faces stalking charges.
WREG learned Joshua Barnes back on the streets, and the victim fears he could come after her again even though he got a lifetime order of protection and continues to notify police.
Joshua Barnes was a MPD officer, but resigned after the first arrest in January.
The most recent arrest was Friday,
Police said they arrested Joshua Barnes for stalking his ex and her guy friend at the Blue Monkey in Midtown.
They said Barnes was wearing a GPS tracker because of his history, and sure enough, it confirmed he was there.
The next day, Barnes got out on a $50,000 bond even though court documents state he has “no regard for the order of protection against him to stay away from the victim.”
Police said he was also arrested in April for stalking the same women in Southaven, again in February for allegedly bashing in her windshield, and in January for putting a tracking device on her car.
“She has done everything right. She has done nothing to deserve this,” said Jordan Howard.
She works with domestic violence victims at the Family Safety Center.
“I really do think we need to make it where if you violate an order of protection so many times, maybe that goes to an automatic felony instead of a misdemeanor,” she said.
Right now, Barnes faces only one felony: an aggravated stalking charge from the incident in Janruary.
While the district attorney’s office never called us back, the victim told WREG Barnes pleaded down and got diversion.
It’s possible Barnes is arrested again for violating the terms of that case.
The Tennessee Department of Correction said the process takes time though. The case worker is notified about the arrest via email, works on the warrant and then has to get a judge to sign off on it.
The Family Safety Center said this story, sadly, is too common, and many times they have to find emergency housing for the victims.
Stay with WREG for any updates to this story.
