| For Immediate Release Case # 06ZF0130
April 30, 2008 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
DEFENSE ATTORNEY CONVICTED OF STALKING AND HARASSING EX-GIRLFRIEND WHOM HE MET ONLINE
SANTA ANA – A defense attorney was convicted today of stalking an ex-girlfriend and sending her harassing e-mails. David Scharf, 46, Corona Del Mar, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of stalking, one misdemeanor count of harassing communication, and one misdemeanor count of violating a restraining order. He faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison at his sentencing on June 13, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-34, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Scharf is a former public defender who now works as a private defense attorney. In March 2004, Scharf met Jane Doe online and the two began dating. By July 2004, Jane Doe told the defendant that she no longer wanted to date him. Between July 1, 2004 and October 6, 2004, Scharf sent several aggressive e-mails to the victim, many sexual in nature, and the e-mails became increasingly more threatening and harassing as time went on. Jane Doe became so fearful of Scharf that she took her three children and left the State.
While the victim was out-of-state, but prior to Jane Doe moving her belongings from her Lake Forest house to her new residence, Scharf entered Jane Doe’s home. He tried to use his position as an attorney to intimidate the victim by accusing her of criminal acts that she did not commit and leaving her a copy of penal code sections that reference arrest in her house.
As a result of the harassment, Jane Doe got a restraining order against Scharf that prohibited him from trying to contact her in any way. On October 5, 2004, Scharf violated the restraining order by e-mailing the victim’s mother.
Assistant District Attorney Ted Burnett of the Family Protection Unit is prosecuting this case.
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