Man accused of sending threatening text messages

A Jackson man faces harassment charges after police say he sent a text message to a woman threatening to burn her alive.

Aaron L. Flessner, 30, was involved in an ongoing dispute with the woman and used his mobile phone to send her several threatening messages during the first part of April, said Sgt. Scott Eakers of the Jackson Police Department.

At least five threats the woman received were shown to have originated from Flessner's telephone, Eakers said.

The worst message led to the misdemeanor charge, Eakers said.

"You shut my phone off I will burn you alive bitch youll never see it coming how would you like your kids to have a dead mommy," Flessner threatened, according to the documents filed with the charges.

The case is one of the first being prosecuted in Jackson that deals with harassment via text messages, Eakers said.

"It is just like a regular phone call," he said. "There is a tracking system that leads back and forth to another person, and you can trace that phone down to the owner and go from there."

Telephone companies store messages along with information about where they originated, Eakers said. The department is investigating two other cases where instant messaging is an element of a possible crime, he said, but this is the first of the three to be prosecuted.

The use of text messaging is increasing, especially among younger people, Eakers said.

Anyone subject to harassing text messages or threats should get a copy of their service records from their wireless telephone provider to document the activity, he said. As for those who are sending threats via text messages, he said: "It is probably not the best way to go."

Flessner does not have a listed telephone number and could not be reached for comment. A telephone listing for the woman's address was no longer a working telephone number.

Flessner will be in court Monday for arraignment on the charges. He is also facing misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession and use of drug paraphernalia and will be arraigned Monday on those charges as well.

In a sworn statement filed with the charges, Jackson police officer Ryan Dooley said Flessner "has an extensive criminal history" and "a long history of drug use and domestic violence."

Since 2000, Flessner has been convicted three times of possession of drug paraphernalia.

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126