N.Y. man reaches plea deal in stalking case

A New York man arrested for stalking a 15-year-old Spokane girl won’t spend any more time in jail but will be on probation for two years and will seek mental health treatment, according to a recent plea deal.

Joshua R. Stetar, 21, was released from the Spokane County Jail Wednesday, according to jail records. The Saratoga Springs, N.Y., man pleaded guilty to felony stalking and two counts of violating a protection order in a plea deal approved Wednesday in Spokane County Superior Court. More charges could be added if he violates his probation, which includes an order of no contact with the victim, according to court papers.

Stetar drove from New York to Spokane in December to meet a girl he’d met while playing the interactive video game Halo, according to police. Police say he threatened to assault the girl and a relative in a text message he sent to the girl’s cell phone.

Stetar posted bail after he was arrested Dec. 29, but police rearrested him Jan. 17 after learning he’d tried to contact the victim at her high school, which led to the no-contact order violations.