The Maple Valley City Council adopted a cyberstalking ordinance as a part of the city’s criminal code on harassment at its Feb. 13 meeting.

According to the City Council’s Feb. 6 minutes, City Prosecutor Tom Hagan recommended that the city adopt the state’s cyberstalking ordinance, which was passed in 2004, in order to allow him to prosecute such cases at a municipal level.

Maple Valley Police Chief Michelle Bennett explained in an email interview that the police department is currently investigating a potential case of cyberstalking, but the law will need to be in place if the prosecutor decides to file charges.

Under the proposed ordinance, cyberstalking would be classified as a gross misdemeanor.

A person would be considered guilty of cyberstalking for contacting someone electronically with the intent to “harass, intimidate, torment or embarrass any other person,” including threats of physical harm to a person, a member of their family, or their property,.

If a person had been previously convicted of cyberstalking the same victim or family of the victim, however, then under the ordinance it would be considered a class C felony.

The full text of the Maple Valley ordinance can be read at http://www.maplevalleywa.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=4286. The Washington State version can be read at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.61.260.