Silver Lake Daily Newsletter.com

Town of Perry Police:
Castile man arrested at Buf-Nia airport after days of ‘threatening behavior’

A Castile man who police say had been showing “a pattern of irrational behavior” on social media interactions with police and who fled south to avoid arrest was taken into custody at Buffalo-Niagara International Airport Saturday.

John C. Stout was arrested after he had traveled back from South Carolina. The arrest came after Stout had been repeatedly harassing his estranged wife, including attempting to have her car towed, police said. Perry Police Chief Michael Grover said the incidents began on Dec. 27, when a Family Court order of protection was issued by Judge Michael Mohun. The order required that Stout surrender his firearms.

A day later, police were called to a house in Perry after Stout lied to a local towing company in an effort to have his estranged wife’s car towed. The tow driver was told that the car could not be removed, as it was “marital property,” Grover said. Ten minutes later, the truck came back after Stout again attempted to remove the car, Grover said.

Police filed charges of second-degree criminal contempt against Stout, who immediately left for South Carolina. Police were able to call Stout to tell him that an arrest warrant had been issued. Grover said he told his officers “good, you better come find me.”

In the following days, Stout made several comments to police through email and on social media, including comments that were threatening, Grover said. A bulletin was sent to all local police, as well as police in South Carolina. Police were tipped that Stout was returning Saturday, Officer David Spink, along with Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority officers, took him into custody at 7 p.m. immediately after he got off a plane.

Stout was arraigned and committed to Wyoming County Jail, with bail set at $10,000. 

Story by SCOTT DESMIT-sdesmit@batavianews.com