Photo: Adrian Lai
STOCKTON – A man was recently found guilty in court on three felony stalking charges that dated form incidents in 2019.
29-year-old Adrian Lai approached a female, 7 months pregnant, in April of 2019 at the Arco gas station in the Trinity Parkway Shopping Center. Lai asked her if she was single and the victim replied “no.”
Lai confronted the victim again the next month at Wal-Mart and asked the same question. The victim asked, “Didn’t we already have this conversation?” The suspect said “no” but followed her to her car.
It wasn’t over. The victim encountered Lai at the same Arco station as he “circled her four times.” according to the victim. This time the victim’s sister arrived and videoed Lai’s vehicle. In July he twice drove past a house where the victim was visiting.
In May/June of 2019 Lai stalked another victim, also at the Trinity Parkway Center. This time he followed a victim as she walked to work, asking her the same question. Although he was ignored this time, he returned a few weeks later while she ate lunch in her car.
This time, after being ignored, Lai banged on her driver’s side window, repeating “I’m talking to you.” The victim finally responded, “Yes, I’m married” and took a picture of the stalker’s vehicle.
Lai’s third victim was also confronted at the same shopping center parking lot during the summer of 2019. He asked the third victim at least six times the same question and, when she took a picture of his vehicle and license plate, he followed her into Starbucks, confronted her. By the time police arrived, he was gone.
In the ensuing trial, all three victims testified against their stalker, and two other victims also testified. Lai was found guilty on three counts of felony stalking and will be sentenced on February 21, facing up to 4 years and 4 months in prison.
