Durham man charged with harassing and cyberstalking Raleigh City Council member
A Durham man has been charged with threatening and harassing a Raleigh City Council member.
David Winters, 36, of Durham, was arrested Monday. He is accused of repeatedly communicating electronically “for the purpose of abusing, threatening, terrifying, harassing and embarrassing” City Council member Jonathan Melton, according to an arrest warrant.
Winters was charged with misdemeanor cyberstalking and misdemeanor harassing phone calls.
He was released from custody on a $1,000 secured bail bond and ordered not to contact Melton.
The communication took place from August 2020 to February 2022, according to the arrest warrant.
“This has been a scary, burdensome ongoing situation beginning around the time of my election that has escalated recently,” Melton said in a statement to The News & Observer.
“For the safety of the public who may be around me at events and meetings, city staff and my family, I am glad it’s being addressed, and to the extent deemed necessary, I hope appropriate supportive services are offered to this individual,” he said.
Melton, an attorney, was elected as an at-large member of Raleigh City Council in 2019.
Suspect has history of stalking charges
Winters has a history of stalking and was on post-release supervision, or probation/parole, at the time of the latest charges, state records show.
In May 2021 he was convicted in Durham County of misdemeanor stalking and other charges in an April 2020 incident in Durham, according to the Department of Public Safety’s website. He was sentenced to jail, a suspended sentence and probation totaling two years.
In November 2019 he was convicted in Durham County of cyberstalking and communicating threats, both misdemeanors, in a Christmas Day 2018 incident, and also of stalking in a July 2019 incident, the DPS website shows. He was sentenced to jail, a suspended sentence and probation in those cases as well.
