The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department is reporting that – between mid-June, and late August of this year – several female employees of Guilford County Emergency Medical Services were the victims of stalking by the same man.
The department has identified 29-year old Austin Gray Cress of Salisbury as the person who allegedly stalked the women.
The press release put out by the Sherriff’s Department states that an investigation determined that Cress – who was an employee of Piedmont Triad Ambulance and Rescue – used technology and his knowledge of the medical work environment to know the locations of the victims.
Cress has since been fired by the ambulance service.
“It is believed Cress was able to determine the on-duty locations of Guilford County Emergency Medical Services’ female employees through his familiarity with emergency service protocols and by utilizing equipment he was issued or had access to as the result of his employment with Piedmont Triad Ambulance and Rescue,” the release states. “His conduct included approaching female … employees while they were on duty for alleged medical needs and then contacting them via social media thereafter.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 30, a Guilford County criminal magistrate issued an arrest warrant for Cress charging him with two misdemeanor violations under a state statute.
That law is violated when, “on more than one occasion, an individual willfully harasses another person or willfully engages in a course of conduct without legal purpose and knows or should know that the harassment or conduct will cause the person to suffer substantial emotional distress by placing them in fear of continued harassment.”
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department expressed thanks for help from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department in the matter.
After Cress was arrested on August 30, he was placed in pre-trial custody at the Rowan County jail, subject to a $500 secured bond.
He satisfied the bond and was released on that same day.
He’s now set to appear in court on Monday, Sept. 18.
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone who has information regarding the incidents to call investigators at 336-641-2300 or call Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000.
Any investigation into how many, if any, prior patients he may be stalking, harassing or worse?
He was given a position of trust and failed. Very disappointing!
I once was asked by an organization I was doing volunteer work for to give my permission for a background check and refused. They couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t give them my permission and I told them that I knew that would let people I didn’t know access to information that they could use in ways that were too cringy for my comfort. They scoffed at my thinking that was possible. My husband worked for Guilford 911 at the time and I knew the information they had access to and how some people used that info.
Don’t give up your information to anyone you don’t trust, ever.
I still think that everyone is entitled to due process. Although it usually is, an arrest is not a conviction.