WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas – A Taylor the man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to stalking with a previous stalking conviction.

As part of the plea, Harley William Hovey, 30, also waived any right to appeal his case.

The Williamson County District Attorney’s Office says Hovey agreed to plead guilty even before jury selection began in his trial.

Harley William Hovey (Williamson County District Attorney’s Office)

MORE criminality COVERING

In 2021, Hovey was convicted of stalking the friend and roommate of a Round Rock gym owner and sentenced to two years in prison. Hovey also engaged in a series of “disturbing acts” targeting the gym’s owner, including placing a rabbit’s head on their property, smashing the window of their business and smearing the car with human faeces, it says the prosecutor’s office.

That 2021 case resulted in a protective order barring Hovey from communicating with the gym owner or going to their place of business, among other restrictions.

However, in February, the DA’s office says he violated that order by sending a threatening message to the gym owner’s girlfriend through a fake Facebook account. Law enforcement investigated the message and linked the account to Hovey.

Later that month, Hovey was caught on early-morning surveillance video at the gym owner’s business wearing a ski mask and gloves to conceal his identity, another violation of the protective order.