Docs: Indiana man charged after stalking young girls for years

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — A Fort Wayne man has been charged with stalking young girls for years, allegedly regularly making phone calls and watching them at sports practices.

Brad S. Stoffer, 48, was charged Friday in Allen Superior Court with 14 counts of felony Stalking, 11 of which included allegations he threatened sexual battery causing serious bodily injury or death. Numerous protection orders were served to Stoffer, as well.

According to court documents, the case covers a time frame of May 26, 2011 to October 18, 2018.

The probable cause affidavit tells the stories of several victims who were minors during the time incidents. The girls reported getting phone calls from a man who called himself “Mike” or “Uncle Mike” at times, the affidavit said.

In an interview, Stoffer apparently told a police detective he went by “Mike” when making phone calls.

Other common threads in the incidents include telling the girls, often gymnasts, that they had great bodies and they look good in their leotards, and asking about other girls who may be friends. 

According to the document, Stoffer alluded several times to watching girls compete and practice. A man was spotted watching practice from his car in one instance.

Most information of what schools and addresses were involved were removed from the affidavit, but in one report, Stoffer reportedly asked a girl, “you go to Leo, right?”

WISH-TV’s sister station WANE has also learned Stoffer was a frequent supporter of Blackhawk Christian athletics.

Several parents filed police reports during the time period, telling police of phone calls. More than one family installed security systems at their homes, telling police they were worried knowing if he found their phone number, he could find their addresses, the affidavit said.

Multiple parents told police they would stay at gymnastics practices instead of just dropping off their children. 

In one incident, a family found a stuffed teddy bear in their driveway the same day one of the phone calls was made to their home, according to the affidavit.

Police obtained a warrant for Stoffer’s Facebook page. He apparently searched all of the victims’ names, some more than 50 times, the affidavit said.

WANE found a Facebook page with his name and picture. It shows several photos with him and school-aged children. 

Police tracked down some of the phone calls to payphones at gas stations in the northeast part of Fort Wayne. In one instance, video showed a car that matched the description of Stoffer’s own vehicle.

In the interview with police, Stoffer told the detective he called homes and “probably asked to speak with their daughters,” the affidavit said. 

He also claimed that he would ask if they had boyfriends, but never said anything sexual. He added that the calls started around 10 years ago, according to the affidavit.

He told police, “you think you’re only doing it a little bit but over the years, I guess it’s a lot,” the affidavit said.

According to police, Stoffer wrote an apology to the victims’ families.

Stoffer was arrested and booked into Allen County Lockup Thursday. His bond is $25,000 per count – totaling $350,000.