Apr. 20—EAU CLAIRE — An Eau Claire man has been convicted a second time for stalking and frightening an employee of an Eau Claire assisted living facility.

Arnold C. Gustafson, 74, 4932 Coventry Court, pleaded guilty Thursday in Eau Claire County Court to a felony count of stalking. Judge Sarah Harless placed Gustafson on three years of probation.

As conditions of probation, Gustafson cannot have contact with the woman or be within one mile of Care Partners Assisted Living. He must also comply with GPS monitoring if requested by his probation agent.

Gustafson had been in the Eau Claire County Jail for 136 days while on a $5,000 cash bail.

In September, Gustafson was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to a felony count of stalking.

According to the criminal complaint in the new case:

An Eau Claire police officer was sent to Care Partners Assisted Living on Tuesday, Dec. 6, because Gustafson had shown up at the facility the past two days. He had also left notes on the vehicle owned by the employee he stalked in the previous case.

An official with the facility said she was frustrated with the continued behavior of Gustafson and how nothing is being done to stop him. She said her employees should not have to be fearful when they come and go from work. She said her employees should not be receiving notes from him left on their vehicles after he had been previously arrested for doing that.

The official said the employee who was primarily victimized in both cases has come into work crying and is very emotional regarding the situation.

The employee told the officer she feared Gustafson and feels she is jumpy now because she never knows when he might find her. She asked the officer how many times this has to happen before she is taken seriously. The employee said she fears Gustafson may hurt her if nothing is done about his behavior.

The officer then spoke to Gustafson, who admitted to driving to the assisted living facility but had no explanation as to why he did so. He admitted to leaving notes on the employee's vehicle.

According to the criminal complaint in the first case:

Eau Claire police were called to Care Partners Assisted Living on March 8, 2022, because Gustafson had been attempting to contact a female employee there after his wife had died.

Staff members told police Gustafson believed he was receiving special treatment from the woman that was leading to disruptions at the facility.

Gustafson would constantly call the woman, leave notes on her vehicle or show up to the facility to speak with her. It was discovered that the woman gave Gustafson her personal number.

Gustafson's wife had been staying at the facility and died about a month earlier.

The director of Care Partners Assisted Living told police that Gustafson had been coming to the facility on a daily basis after his wife died, calling the facility and seeking out the woman. Gustafson would ask for the woman, where she was and when she would be back to work.

The director said the woman told her Gustafson's actions were making her uncomfortable and she doesn't feel safe in her workplace.

The director said she had spoken with Gustafson and told him his actions were inappropriate and making staff feel uncomfortable.

The woman told police she met Gustafson after his wife died. She gave him a hug trying to comfort him during a hard time and never meant for him to take things this far. She had asked Gustafson to stop contacting her.

Gustafson was banned from the facility as of March 8, 2022.

Gustafson returned to the facility on March 14, 2022. He argued with the director, stating he was not aware he had been banned. The director then wrote a formal letter that informed Gustafson of his ban. Police then escorted Gustafson off the property. Gustafson told police he had done nothing wrong. He was subsequently arrested.