Pilot accused of spying on woman with plane busted for stalking again

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Michael Arnold shown allegedly stalking Cassie Wilusz by plane and car

Cassie Wilusz says a one-time customer at her cafe has stalked her relentlessly for four years, flying his Cessna 180 directly over her home several times a week in Schuylerville, New York. (Credit: Cassie Wilusz)

A suspected serial stalking pilot allegedly followed a woman from his car and was arrested for the third time in the last four months.

Michael Arnold, 65, is accused of slowly driving a maroon car behind a woman who had an order of protection against him, briefly stopping and then driving off, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, NewsChannel 13 reported.

The latest incident unfolded on Jan. 12 in Fort Hardy Park in Schuylerville, New York, police said on Thursday, but law enforcement did not say if it was the same victim tied to previous charges.

He was charged with criminal contempt and stalking, both misdemeanors, and held without bail. 

PILOT SUSPECTED OF USING PLANE TO STALK WOMAN FOR FOUR YEARS SAYS THEY’VE NEVER MET

Michael Arnold is escorted out of the Saratoga Town Court in Schuylerville, New York, on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. Arnold is accused of flying his single-engine plane over Cassie Wilusz’s home and posting threatening messages online. (Hans Pennink for Fox News Digital)

The retired merchant marine was arrested three times in October after he allegedly flew his small, single-engine plane over 42-year-old Cassie Wilusz’s house and took photos of her property. 

During law enforcement’s investigation, detectives uncovered a bogus Facebook account that Arnold allegedly used to harass and threaten Wilusz’s daughter.  

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He said he did not know Wilusz on his way to Saratoga Town Court in October. “I don’t know her. She’s crazy,” he said at the time. 

However, Wilusz, who owns Revolution Cafe in the small village of Schuylerville, shared videos that allegedly showed him circling her home in his plane and following her in his car.

WATCH ARNOLD’S ALLEGED STALKING IN HIS PLANE

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He was arraigned on a laundry list of charges in October in Milton Town Court, Saratoga and Vermont Superior Courts because he used a Vermont airport, where he was first arrested on Oct. 3.  

Despite the accusations, he was let out on bail after each arrest in October. 

PILOT, 65, ACCUSED OF USING PLANE TO STALK WOMAN FOR 4 YEARS: ‘IT’S A NIGHTMARE’

This time, he was held in Saratoga County Jail without bail. 

Schuylerville Mayor Dan Carpenter told Fox News Digital in October that he was concerned about Arnold after he was arraigned on a nine-count indictment for the alleged harassing messages. 

“The community has concerns about his mental stability,” he said. “What is the next escalation? If it goes too far, is he willing to fly a plane into Cassie’s house? We live in a small residential area. That’s not going to just affect Cassie.”

Cassie Wilusz, her late husband Dave Wilusz, and their 14-year-old daughter. Michael Arnold is accused of flying his small plane over her home as her husband was dying of colon cancer. (Courtesy of Cassie Wilusz)

Wilusz told Fox News Digital in October that Arnold is a former cafe customer who has terrorized her and her family since she rejected his vulgar advances in November 2019.

Wilusz said she has been living a nightmare ever since Arnold emailed her photos of him posing with nude women. She told him he had crossed a line.

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That was when he allegedly began his campaign of harassment, flying over her home several times a week and following her in his car when she headed to work, walked her dog or took her daughter to school.

Fox News Digital reporter Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report. 

Chris Eberhart is a crime and US news reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to chris.eberhart@fox.com or on Twitter @ChrisEberhart48.