fbpx

Child Protection Agency Critic Charged with Stalking Worker

Great Falls man appeared in court on felony stalking charge

By Justin Franz

GREAT FALLS — A critic of Montana’s child protection agency is charged with using Facebook to stalk one of its caseworkers in violation of a restraining order.

The Great Falls Tribune reports 73-year-old John “Jay” Walton appeared in District Court in Great Falls on a felony stalking charge. He did not enter a plea Friday. The judge told him to stay off Facebook.

Prosecutors say Walton took pictures from the caseworker’s Facebook page and posted them on his own page with derogatory comments.

The restraining order was issued in 2015 after several caseworkers complained about Walton’s harassing them after his grandchildren were removed from his house.

Also in 2015, Walton was charged with criminal contempt for sharing a confidential Child and Family Services report in an effort to change the placement of one of his grandchildren.