Man who rode bike from Rigby to Idaho Falls to stalk woman sentenced

Robert Frank Smith | Bonenville County Jail
IDAHO FALLS — A man who rode his bike from Rigby to Idaho Falls to stalk a woman received his sentence Monday morning.
Robert Frank Smith, 50, was placed on a rider program by District Judge Dane H. Watkins Jr. In September, Smith pleaded guilty to felony first-degree stalking and misdemeanor unlawful entry.
As part of the plea agreement made with Bonneville County prosecutors, a felony burglary charge and misdemeanor telephone harassment charge were dismissed.
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As part of the sentence, Watkins gave Smith an underlying 18-month to five-year term in prison that could be served if the man doesn’t successfully complete the program. A rider program is when a judge places a person into a prison treatment program for up to a year before deciding if they serve the remainder of their sentence or place them on probation.
At the time of his arrest in May, police reports show Smith rode his bike between the cities in an attempt to meet a woman who had a civil protection order against him. The woman called 911 while in a building, saying Smith was near her car on River Parkway.
RELATED | Police say man rode bike from Rigby to Idaho Falls to stalk woman
When police arrived, court records show he was sitting inside the woman’s car and acknowledged the protection order. Smith also said he rode his bicycle from his address in Rigby to see the woman.
The upset woman showed investigators her phone with hundreds of text messages from Smith sent that day. In the text, police said Smith sent photos of him inside the woman’s car in addition to threats.
Court records show Watkins also ordered Smith to pay $1,645.50 in fees and fines.
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Source: eastidahonews.com