Taylor man pleads guilty to stalking, receives 15 years in prison

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas – TO taylor A man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to stalking with a prior stalking conviction.

As part of the plea, Harley William Hovey, 30, also waived any right to appeal his case.

The Williamson County District Attorney’s Office says Hovey agreed to plead guilty just before the jury selection process began in his trial.

Harley William Hovey (Williams County County Attorney’s Office)

FURTHER CRIME COVERAGE

In 2021, Hovey was found guilty of harassing the friend and roommate of a round rock owner of a gym and sentenced to two years in prison. Hovey had also engaged in a series of “disruptive acts” against the gym owner, including placing a rabbit head on his property, breaking a window at his business and smearing human feces on his car, the district attorney’s office says.

That 2021 case prompted a protective order prohibiting Hovey from contacting the gym owner or going to his workplace, among other restrictions.

However, in February, the district attorney’s office says he violated that order by sending a threatening message to the gym owner’s girlfriend through a fake Facebook account. Authorities investigated the message and linked the account to Hovey.

Later that same month, Hovey was captured on early morning surveillance video at the gym owner’s business, wearing a ski mask and gloves to conceal his identity, another violation of the protective order.