An Illinois man was sentenced to five years in federal prison for years of stalking and threatening an Indiana couple.

Patrick Kearney, 41, of Glenview, Illinois, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of stalking, one count of transmitting threats via interstate commerce, and two counts of making harassing telephone calls.

According to court documents, beginning in September of 2019, and continuing through October 4, 2022, Kearney engaged in a targeted campaign of stalking, intimidation, and harassment directed towards Victims 1 and 2.

Kearney met Victim 1 in the early 2000s, when they both attended the same university. Kearney pursued a relationship with Victim 1 by trying to walk with her after class, meeting her at her dorm, calling the dorm phone, and leaving mail at her dorm mailbox. Victim 1 did not reciprocate interest in a relationship with Kearney. Victim 1 graduated from college, married her husband, Victim 2, and had not seen Kearney since.

In September of 2019, Kearney began sending Victim 1 anonymous handwritten letters to her home in Indiana, mostly stating that Victim 1 should have died in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The letters typically included pictures or drawings of the World Trade Center burning. Kearney sent approximately 23 handwritten letters to Victim 1 between September of 2019 and September of 2022, all including similar abusive language and most referencing September 11, 2001.

In addition to sending letters, Kearney also began repeatedly calling Victim 1’s cell phone at all hours, leaving threatening voicemails and using different phone numbers to avoid being blocked.

On February 22, 2022, Kearney mailed a package from Arizona to Victim 1’s home. The package contained Raid roach bait and a handwritten note stating, “Here is some poison for you and give the rest to your idiot boyfriend!”