DALLAS — Ian Smith from Plano is out of jail after being behind bars for the eighth time, accused of stalking and harassing multiple female Southern Methodist University students.
Last week, the 23-year-old was charged with a misdemeanor of harassment. Police records say he “repeatedly reached out to a student, directly interfering with her life over social media, including video calling her.”
Police said the harassment “caused her to fear for her well-being and safety.”
Court records show Smith was charged with a similar crime in March and multiple other incidents since 2021, racking up charges including stalking and threatening students, online impersonation, and a 3rd-degree felony of obstruction/retaliation. Law experts said these types of crimes are often dependent on people reporting them and “are more serious than you think.”
“So, a person who harasses, if it’s not stopped then it goes to stalking. If [the person] is allowed to have contact with that person, it could lead to an assault,” said criminal defense lawyer, Philip Linder.