A Cranbury man named Robert Smithers, the CEO of Miercom, a technology company based in East Windsor that test, reviews and analyzes technology products is scheduled to appear in court on April 1, 2013 to face charges of harassment and stalking for allegedly sending threatening emails and online messages to his co-worker named Beth Harrison.
She alleges that she received a string of emails between January 31, 2012 and February 23, 2012. Harrison said the two were members of a sexual fetish website and initially exchanged friendly e-mail, but then she decided to block Smithers’ access to her and he somehow obtained her personal e-mail and began sending messages anonymously.
Harrison said that although the sender at first seemed harmless she was wary because the e-mails, were sent to a private address she had not shared with anyone. When she asked how sender, who signed the e-mail as Rob, got her address, she said the messages grew more hostile and threatening. She was afraid he would find her address online and come to her house, she said.
Harrison sent him a cease and desist letter, but he continued to send messages and his tone became more aggressive, she said. It took a year, Harrison said, to investigate the messages and bring charges against Smithers. She even hired a private investigator to help.
Harrison said the Cranbury police were slow to investigate the harassment and said they did so only after she took the matter to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. After the investigation, Smithers was issued a summons and was criminally charged on March 7. The Cranbury police declined to comment about their investigation for this story.
According to complaints filed with the court, Smithers allegedly sent harassing and menacing e-mails to Harrison and had repeated unwanted e-mail contact with her.
Harrison said she will continue to seek prosecution of Smithers because she hopes to inspire other victims of harassment to confront the cyber bullies in their lives.
Harrison said once the criminal proceedings are concluded she intends to file a lawsuit against Smithers.