TV Anchor Facing Felony Charges, Allegedly Faked Stalking Threats
An Erie, Pennsylvania news anchor and producer told police in April she was being harassed by a stalker. Two months later, Pennsylvania State Police say Haley Potter, 24, fabricated the entire story. The Erie News Now journalist is facing multiple felony counts, including identity theft, fraud, and forgery. Potter was arraigned on July 11.
Potter filed a stalking complaint with state police on April 3, according to a police report and the affidavit of probable cause, reports the Erie Times-News. She claimed the stalking began in February and began with text messages. The messages became "sexual in nature, and of a harassing/stalking nature when the person knew about the defendant's actions and whereabouts at all times of (the) day and night," the affidavit reads. In March, Potter claimed she found a "welcome home" note and told police the person stalking her must have gained access to her apartment complex.
The journalist also claimed the stalker hacked her social media accounts and sent sexually explicit messages to her boyfriend. in June, she received flowers and an anonymous note that was "similar in nature" to the text messages. Her debit card was also used to book an Erie hotel room, but the room was never claimed, according to the affidavit. Potter reported fraudulent use of her card to the bank, which restored the $414.61 charge.
However, the story began to fall apart earlier this month. State Police discovered the IP address used to hack Potter's social media accounts belonged to her phone. When police asked Potter about this, she "admitted to fabricating the stalker and being the person responsible for all of the messages/phone calls and fraudulent activity," according to the affidavit.
Potter allegedly incriminated a 26-year-old man and used his identity without him knowing. The criminal complaints list the man as a victim in Potter's alleged scheme. "After extensive investigation by PSP Erie, it was revealed Potter had been responsible for all of the messages and stalker activity she reported having been the victim of," Trooper Ronald Godek wrote in the incident report.
Potter's lawyer, Charbel G. Latouf, rejected the claims. "We reject the allegations wholeheartedly and intend to vigorously defend her against them," Latouf told the Erie Times-News. Latouf did not further comment on the issue.
Potter was arraigned on July 11. She was charged with: "two felony counts each of forgery and criminal use of a communication facility; and misdemeanor charges of access device fraud, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, identity theft, false swearing to mislead a public servant, unsworn falsification to authorities, false reports to law enforcement implicating another person, false reports to law enforcement reporting an event that did not occur, falsifying/tampering with physical evidence and disorderly conduct." Her preliminary hearing is set for July 28.
Erie News Now news director Scott MacDowell told the Times-News they are aware of the allegations against Potter but declined to comment further. Potter is a native of Leechburg, Pennsylvania. She joined Erie News Now as an intern in 2019 and became a staff member in June 2020.
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