Arizona man indicted on slew of stalking, threatening charges

NORTHAMPTON — A 44-year-old man who allegedly traveled cross-country from his Arizona home while sending his ex-girlfriend in Northampton violent video and text message threats is in the Hampshire County jail awaiting arraignment.

Anthony Hayden Jr., whose residence was given as Gilbert, Arizona, is facing more than two dozen charges, eight of them felonies, including stalking, violation of a restraining order, threat to commit a crime, harassing communications, witness intimidation and breaking and entering in the daytime. He was indicted by a Hampshire County grand jury Jan. 11.

His arraignment, scheduled for Wednesday in Hampshire Superior Court, was postponed when he requested a new attorney.

Hayden’s alleged harassment of his ex-girlfriend first came to police attention in March 2022 when the woman reported him showing up at her apartment unannounced and sending her demands for money, according to the affidavit of Assistant District Attorney Erin Aiello. The woman was granted a restraining order that barred him from contacting her in any way.

In March 2023, court papers state, Hayden began sending the woman threats via Facebook, Instagram, email and phone every day for a week. The threats resumed in September and were reported to police. Hayden told the woman he was on his way to see her, and when Northampton police pinged the location of his cellphone, they determined he was in southwest Kansas.

Kansas authorities detained Hayden on an extraditable warrant, and he was served a new abuse prevention order before being brought back to Massachusetts, according to the affidavit.

James Pentland can be reached at jpentland@gazettenet.com.