A former federal prosecutor was arrested in Brunswick for allegedly following and stalking a woman he used to be in a relationship with, court records show.
Richard Thompson — who was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia in 2001 — was in jail in Glynn County for almost a week on aggravated stalking charges. He was released on bond, and his charges are pending in superior court.
The woman Thompson allegedly stalked was not identified. She and Thompson broke up after being in a relationship for about a year, but he continued to harass, surveil and stalk her, the victim’s attorney, Donna Crossland, said.
“There were several attempts in and out of court to make him stop,” she said. “He didn’t.”
Crossland alleged that Thompson violated three Family Violence Act orders that were issued against him last year, so the victim took out an arrest warrant application.
After a hearing at Glynn County Magistrate Court last Tuesday, Thompson was taken into jail immediately from the courtroom.
He is now being represented by Brunswick-based attorney Robert Crowe. Crowe was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
Under the conditions of Thompson’s $10,000 bond, he checked into a treatment hospital in Florida, and must participate in a family violence prevention program, Crossland said.
Thompson stepped down from his post as U.S. Attorney in 2004, citing his desire to return to a private law firm. A Department of Justice investigation had previously found that he had “abused his authority” by using his position to try to interfere with an election and help a political ally, according to a report in Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
In 2009, he was appointed by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue to serve as the chairman of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation, according to the website for the law office he now works in. He was chairman until 2013.
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