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Pilot accused of stalking, sending graphic letters
Web-posted Jul 18, 2007
Farmington Hills man faces potential five-year felony charge after neighbors filed complaints
By STEPHEN FRYE
Of The Oakland Press
An airline pilot is accused of sending anonymous letters for more than five years to his Farmington Hills neighbors, detailing graphic sex acts and leading to felony charges being filed against him.
Wayne Alan Giles, 46, is charged with three counts of aggravated stalking, a potential five-year felony, as well as one count each of misdemeanor vandalism and malicious annoyance charges. The allegations of vandalism involve fecal matter, old fruit and eggs being thrown on an elderly couple's nearby home.
However, the Spirit Airlines pilot could face a year in jail at most if convicted as charged, a sentence that prosecutors question, considering the man allegedly terrorized his neighbors with the anonymous letters.
Defense attorney Larry Kaluzny said Giles regrets the letters and did not appreciate the seriousness of what he had done, believing they were a harmless joke.
But for the neighbors - an elderly couple next door, a 26-year-old woman down the street and a convicted sex offender nearby - the letters brought anxiety and fear, said Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Lisa Gorcyca.
"His victims lived in a constant state of terror," Gorcyca said. "They had no idea when he would strike next, how he would strike next. For years, they were looking over their shoulders, awaiting his next attack."
Giles, who has no criminal record, is free on personal bond. He cannot, by a condition of his bond, return to the home at 23181 Haynes St., except to pack his belongings during a specified time.
"He has been out of the house," Kaluzny said. "He is going to move."
On Tuesday, Giles was arraigned in front of Oakland County Circuit Judge Colleen A. O'Brien, who ordered him back to court for a pretrial hearing Aug. 28. Both sides will submit sentencing memorandums to the court to see if a plea is possible.
Kaluzny questions whether the case reaches the felony level, saying the letters were not giving specific threats.
"He is going to lose his license if he gets a felony" conviction, Kaluzny said.
Alison Russell, director of communications for Spirit Airlines, confirmed that Giles is a first officer for the airline but declined to comment further. She declined to discuss the Miramar, Fla.-based company's policy regarding employees with criminal convictions, noting his case is unresolved.
Farmington Hills Police Chief William Dwyer said the allegations against the professional are "extremely disturbing."
"I've seen the letters and I can understand why the complainants are very concerned about the profanity, the sexually graphic nature of the letters and the insults," Dwyer said. "You would never expect this from someone who is a pilot with one of the major airlines."
Officers investigating vandalism became suspicious of Giles when asking him about eggs being thrown, and later they found that his handwriting matched the letters. Charges soon followed.
Giles' attorney said his client is in counseling and is remorseful.
"He wants to apologize," Kaluzny said. "Whether they accept it or not is another story. He viewed the whole thing as a prank. He thought they knew who he was. I know he did not understand the impact on their lives. He understands that now."
Gorcyca fiercely disputes that, questioning how someone could have a job with such responsibility and not understand what letters detailing sexual acts, hinting at harm and alluding to personal information could do to a person.
The couple and the woman received numerous letters over the years, never knowing who was targeting them. The 25-yearold man on the sex offender registry received only one letter.
If convicted as charged, Giles would face a year in jail at most. His sentencing guidelines call for a minimum term ranging from zero to 17 months, but the state's complicated sentencing rules exclude a prison term unless O'Brien would find cause to exceed guidelines.
Gorcyca said she will ask the judge to exceed sentencing guidelines if Giles is convicted.
She noted the duration of time that neighbors received the letters - from May 2000 to January 2007 for the elderly couple and from May 2001 to January 2006 for the woman. "There were multiple credible threats to both families," Gorcyca said. "He scared them for years, but the maximum (he could face) is only five years. It doesn't seem fair, that for 6? years he terrorized his neighbors, but the maximum penalty by law is five years."
Web-posted Jul 18, 2007
Farmington Hills man faces potential five-year felony charge after neighbors filed complaints
By STEPHEN FRYE
Of The Oakland Press
An airline pilot is accused of sending anonymous letters for more than five years to his Farmington Hills neighbors, detailing graphic sex acts and leading to felony charges being filed against him.
Wayne Alan Giles, 46, is charged with three counts of aggravated stalking, a potential five-year felony, as well as one count each of misdemeanor vandalism and malicious annoyance charges. The allegations of vandalism involve fecal matter, old fruit and eggs being thrown on an elderly couple's nearby home.
However, the Spirit Airlines pilot could face a year in jail at most if convicted as charged, a sentence that prosecutors question, considering the man allegedly terrorized his neighbors with the anonymous letters.
Defense attorney Larry Kaluzny said Giles regrets the letters and did not appreciate the seriousness of what he had done, believing they were a harmless joke.
But for the neighbors - an elderly couple next door, a 26-year-old woman down the street and a convicted sex offender nearby - the letters brought anxiety and fear, said Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Lisa Gorcyca.
"His victims lived in a constant state of terror," Gorcyca said. "They had no idea when he would strike next, how he would strike next. For years, they were looking over their shoulders, awaiting his next attack."
Giles, who has no criminal record, is free on personal bond. He cannot, by a condition of his bond, return to the home at 23181 Haynes St., except to pack his belongings during a specified time.
"He has been out of the house," Kaluzny said. "He is going to move."
On Tuesday, Giles was arraigned in front of Oakland County Circuit Judge Colleen A. O'Brien, who ordered him back to court for a pretrial hearing Aug. 28. Both sides will submit sentencing memorandums to the court to see if a plea is possible.
Kaluzny questions whether the case reaches the felony level, saying the letters were not giving specific threats.
"He is going to lose his license if he gets a felony" conviction, Kaluzny said.
Alison Russell, director of communications for Spirit Airlines, confirmed that Giles is a first officer for the airline but declined to comment further. She declined to discuss the Miramar, Fla.-based company's policy regarding employees with criminal convictions, noting his case is unresolved.
Farmington Hills Police Chief William Dwyer said the allegations against the professional are "extremely disturbing."
"I've seen the letters and I can understand why the complainants are very concerned about the profanity, the sexually graphic nature of the letters and the insults," Dwyer said. "You would never expect this from someone who is a pilot with one of the major airlines."
Officers investigating vandalism became suspicious of Giles when asking him about eggs being thrown, and later they found that his handwriting matched the letters. Charges soon followed.
Giles' attorney said his client is in counseling and is remorseful.
"He wants to apologize," Kaluzny said. "Whether they accept it or not is another story. He viewed the whole thing as a prank. He thought they knew who he was. I know he did not understand the impact on their lives. He understands that now."
Gorcyca fiercely disputes that, questioning how someone could have a job with such responsibility and not understand what letters detailing sexual acts, hinting at harm and alluding to personal information could do to a person.
The couple and the woman received numerous letters over the years, never knowing who was targeting them. The 25-yearold man on the sex offender registry received only one letter.
If convicted as charged, Giles would face a year in jail at most. His sentencing guidelines call for a minimum term ranging from zero to 17 months, but the state's complicated sentencing rules exclude a prison term unless O'Brien would find cause to exceed guidelines.
Gorcyca said she will ask the judge to exceed sentencing guidelines if Giles is convicted.
She noted the duration of time that neighbors received the letters - from May 2000 to January 2007 for the elderly couple and from May 2001 to January 2006 for the woman. "There were multiple credible threats to both families," Gorcyca said. "He scared them for years, but the maximum (he could face) is only five years. It doesn't seem fair, that for 6? years he terrorized his neighbors, but the maximum penalty by law is five years."
