CLEARFIELD – GantDaily takes a more in-depth look at charges filed against a man accused of stalking and harassing a state trooper from the Philipsburg barracks over the last six years.
Gregory Lynn Walker, 49 of Kissimmee, Fla., is charged with one count of retaliation against witness, victim or party; five counts of criminal use of a communications facility; two counts of stalking; two counts of false reports to law enforcement authority; one count of retaliation for past official action and two counts of harassment.
According to the 20-plus page affidavit of probable cause, Tpr. Shawn Inlow was assigned to investigate a sexual misconduct case that occurred in Massachusetts and involved Gregory Walker’s son, Benjamin Walker.
Inlow reportedly found more information involving Benjamin Walker and criminal activity in Pennsylvania. Following a trial in October 2002 a jury found Benjamin Walker guilty of once count of indecent exposure.
While the Massachusetts jury returned convictions against Benjamin Walker, the trial judge dismissed all felony counts against him and two of his co-defendants. An appeal was filed, contested, and eventually upheld. The trooper investigating Gregory Walker’s case noted that “the legal fighting around this case was intense and has spanned for over six years, having only recently been decided. In August 2007 Benjamin Walker began serving a one year prison sentence in Massachusetts.
According to the affidavit, “Over the last six years Trooper Inlow and his family have suffered a continual and consistent pattern of harassment that continues into 2008.”
The affidavit states that the alleged incidents began on Jan. 10, 2002, when Inlow’s wife began receiving phone calls at her place of employment, as well as Inlow’s a the PSP Philipsburg barracks.
The calls to Inlow’s wife came from an unidentified man on two occasions and an unknown woman on another, who claimed that Inlow was being investigated for an alleged rape.
The rape allegations against Inlow were later found to be false.
Two calls to the barracks came from an unidentified man who asked for information about filing a complaint against a trooper, and on the second asked to speak with a supervisor about filing charges against Inlow.
It was reported that on Aug. 29, 2002, Gregory Walker initiated a PSP Internal Affairs investigation against Inlow, alleging that he falsified reports to implicate his son in a rape case.
IAD investigated and found the allegation to be unfounded and terminated the probe on Jan. 21, 2003.
Inlow’s wife found notes on her vehicle, once at her workplace (Dec. 23, 2003) and once at her home (Jan. 31, 2007). Portions of the Jan. 31 note are as follows:
“Just to let you know that we have not forgotten you … We have been sitting on this report for some time and it’s getting harder to stay silent. If we were in your shoes we would do the right thing and expose the lies that were told in the Boston case.”
On March 14, 2007, Inlow was at Centre County Central Court on an unrelated case. It was reported that Gregory Walker was there as well, staring at Inlow. Inlow determined that Gregory Walker was attempting to intimidate Inlow.
At one point Gregory Walker called Inlow a vulgar name and said, “Remember what you did to that little girl.”
Magisterial District Judge Daniel Hoffman reportedly stood up and told Gregory Walker to move on.
Gregory Walker is also alleged to have accosted Inlow in public at Adventure Video in Philipsburg on July 11, 2007.
On July 17 Gregory Walker initiated another PSP Internal Affairs complaint against Inlow for allegedly harassing and stalking the Walker family. IAD investigation determined those allegations were unfounded and terminated the investigation Dec. 13, 2007. Trp. David Aiello, the investigating trooper in the Gregory Walker case made not that following his initial complaint, Gregory Walker refused to cooperate in the probe by declining to provide additional specific details.
On four separate occasions in July 2007 during Camp Week for the Philipsburg Soccer Association, one witness observed Gregory Walker back his vehicle against a fence at the field then stare at Inlow and the team that Inlow coached.
The witness noted that Gregory Walker appeared very intimidating, and that the children began questioning why he was there.
These appearances and others eventually led to the association asking Inlow to step down from his coaching duties.
On Sept. 2, 2007 a neighbor, made aware of Gregory Walker’s activities, noticed Gregory Walker drive slowly past Inlow’s residence.
Inlow reported receiving five e-mails to his PSP account. These e-mails were traced back to Gregory Walker.
In one e-mail, Gregory Walker provided a phone number for Inlow to call. That number was traced back to Gregory Walker.
Gregory Walker continued his allegations that Inlow sexually assaulted a young girl.
Other portions of the e-mail are as follows:
“I am all for the “expose” but I believe that it must be done at the correct time and place. I guess they (records) will turn up in all the wrong places, schools, YMCA, community events i.e. parades (a reference to Inlow’s home is made), Heritage Days, businesses. I don’t know OR CARE wherever they end up. I have been holding these people back for 3 or more years. I know these reports must be passed out but they need to be smart. It will happen, just do it right.”
“ONE LAST HINT. AFTER THIS NO MORE. I’M SUPPOSED TO BE QUIET, but there is nothing you can do, its all coming and I want you to know what is coming your way and what will never end.”
In the e-mail Gregory Walker mentions an in-law who allegedly works for the federal government. He notes that while this man cannot handle what “we” want done, he allegedly has connections.
“NO MORE (expletive) PA attorneys wanting to just take our money,” notes the e-mail allegedly from Gregory Walker.
While Benjamin Walker was incarcerated in Centre County Jail, a number of phone conversations between the son and father were recorded. According to the affidavit both men were aware they were being recorded.
In one statement, Gregory Walker allegedly said, “Don’t worry about what that pig did to you, he’s gonna pay.”
In other statements:
-“We just keep falling deeper into the hole. I’m just at the end. I’m not sleeping, eating.”
-“I’m calling a guy up north, you know, and tell him 100 grand is on the table, it might just be 50-75, just tell him we wanna, we’ll tell you later.”
-“Let me work the plan, get this thing turned around. So much money on courts, rehab. Just let me get are plan working.”
-“This is not going to turn around right away. You might have to do a little time, but I got plans. I’ve had plans, you just let me work them, you know what I mean.”
During another period in which Benjamin Walker was incarcerated in Centre County Jail, between Jan. 4, 2007 and May 29 2007, more phone conversations were recorded between father and son. At one point Benjamin Walker comments on going to state police and tell them Inlow comes clean or they expose him on the Boston incident.
His father replied that he did not know what to do, that he was worn out. He told his son that he had a breakdown.
“For six years I’ve been fighting. I’ve got no money, I don’t have anything anymore. I’ve got nothing.”
“Inlow is gonna pay for this believe it,” Gregory Walker is recorded saying. “He’s gonna pay, he’s gonna pay for what he did, he knows it, he knows he went too far. I’m gonna keep fighting the battle, find the right attorney and I’m gonna get him.
As part of their investigation state police contacted the woman allegedly sexually assaulted. As stated earlier in the story, that claim turned out to be unfounded. The woman stated that she did not know a Shawn Inlow, that she had never went out with a man named Shawn Inlow, that she had never been raped, sexually assaulted or otherwise victimized by anyone. She stated that no one, including Shawn Inlow, had ever given her alcohol, caused or induced her to consume alcohol or caused her to seek medical treatment because of alcohol consumption.
Gregory Walker’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 27 at the Centre County Courthouse.