City cop pleads guilty in stalking

James Bathurst sentenced to probation, resigns from force

By JIM RUNKLE - jrunkle@lockhaven.com
LOCK HAVEN — A Lock Haven police officer arrested last year for allegedly stalking seven local women pleaded guilty Friday to three criminal counts in connection with that case.

James Maylon Bathurst, 121 Timberwood Drive, entered the plea to misdemeanor counts of stalking, official oppression and harassment in a hearing before President Judge J. Michael Williamson.

He was immediately sentenced to three years probation.

Bathurst was also ordered to immediately submit his official resignation from the Lock Haven Police Department, which he did as part of the proceedings.

The sentence ended a lengthy investigation and prosecution into a number of confrontations alleged to have occurred with seven women from March through October of 2007.

Bathurst was also involved in a reported stand-off at his home in Woodward Township last year, but after six hours emerged from his home without incident and was taken to Lock Haven Hospital for an involuntary mental health evaluation. No charges were filed in connection with that confrontation.

Bathurst was charged with seven counts of stalking official oppression and harassment.

Under the terms of the plea and state law, the other charges will be dismissed in 30 days if there is no appeal of the sentence.

The charges were filed by state police at Lamar in late November.

Police said Bathurst made unwarranted and unwanted comments to local women, and used his position of authority as a police officer in attempts to garner dates and interest.

The incidents occurred at the workplace of the women, on the city’s highways and at the victims’ residences, and Bathurst was in uniform and on duty during some of the episodes, according to police.

In one case, it’s alleged Bathurst told a woman he placed drugs in her car and she replied he’d have to know where she lived.

Within a week of that conversation, the woman said, she went out of her house to roll up the windows of her vehicle and discovered a yellow parking ticket envelope on her steering wheel. Inside the envelope was a handwritten note, which stated, “I told you I could find you, now you owe me a cup of coffee.”

In another case, Bathurst is alleged to have told a woman if she didn’t want to see him, he would plant drugs at her residence and come back at a later time and arrest her and her roommate.

Bathurst was also alleged to have pulled over one of the victims three or four times with his police vehicle by activating the emergency lights, each time asking for $20 he had lent her back or a sexual favor.

When interviewed, Bathurst said he mentioned planting drugs but added that he was joking at the time. And he said he left a note on a vehicle but that was also a joke.

One woman said Bathurst, who was on duty at the time, drove by her residence and shined his police vehicle’s spotlight in her bedroom window, then called her and said that he just shined his spotlight in her bedroom window. The other victims told of similar events.

Bathurst was represented by attorney Stuart Hall. Assistant Attorney General Jonelle Eshbach represented the Commonwealth.