Police: Casper Man Threatened to Release Intimate Video of Woman

Natrona County prosecutors say a Casper man attempted to call a woman 185 times over four days in June and left 33 voicemails alluding to sharing an intimate video of them if she did not unblock his number.

The woman told police that despite having Richard Calvin Arner's phone number blocked, he was still able to leave voicemails and she received a missed call notification each time he attempted to contact her.

Arner pleaded not guilty to felony stalking, misdemeanor stalking, violation of a protection order and interference with a 911 call in Natrona County District Court Tuesday morning.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Arner and the woman were in a casual dating relationship before the stalking incidents happened. The woman told police that she and Arner were intimate when Arner pulled out his phone and asked her he could record the encounter.

The woman said no and pushed Arner's phone away, the affidavit says.

Shortly after the encounter, the woman attempted to break things off with Arner, court documents say.

Days later, the affidavit alleges, Arner showed up at the woman's workplace. She asked Arner to leave several times before she eventually pushed Arner out of her workspace and shut the door.

The affidavit says Arner then began incessantly calling the woman. When the woman blocked Arner's number, he began calling her from a different number. Then, when the victim blocked the new number, Arner began calling her from a restricted number.

According to the affidavit, the victim had 185 missed calls and 33 voicemails from June 21 to 24, allegedly from Arner.

In the voicemails, Arner allegedly told the victim that she should remember he has a sex tape of him and the victim and to unblock him or she would see what happens next. All 33 voicemails had "roughly the same dialogue," according to the affidavit. 

The woman also told police that she discovered a folded note on her vehicle's windshield on June 22. In the note, Arner allegedly wrote that he did not want to have his number blocked.

"I swear I will come to your office on Monday so we can talk in person, so unless you want to have a mishap like the other day in front of your co-workers please unblock me," Arner allegedly wrote. "I will come see you on Monday at your office so we can talk if you don't."

Two days later, the victim was walking to her vehicle when she saw Arner. She was able to get into her car but couldn't close the door because Arner was holding it open, the affidavit says. When the victim tried calling 911, Arner grabbed her phone.

"(The victim) admitted to biting Arner's arm to prevent him from grabbing her phone," the affidavit says. "Arner pulled his arm away and stated, 'Now I'm going to call the cops.'

"(The victim) was able to dial 911, and when Arner saw the 'emergency call' screen on the woman’s phone, he stated, 'Fine, I'll leave.'"

The affidavit also details alleged incidents in early July in which Arner followed the victim to Alcova Lake.

In another incident, Arner allegedly contacted the victim's employer and said that he was the one with a protection order against the victim, almost costing the victim her job.