Wyoming man sentenced to prison for harassing, stalking Laurel woman in violation of protective order

BILLINGS — A Cody, Wyoming, man who admitted violating a protective order by stalking and harassing a Laurel woman and her family was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,600 in restitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said.

Donald Raymond Foote, Jr, 50, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2020 to interstate violation of a protective order.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. Judge Watters ordered Foote detained.

The prosecution said in court documents that in August 2017, the victim, identified as Jane Doe 1, began living on Foote’s property and that Foote became infatuated with her. Jane Doe 1 moved to the Laurel area in November 2017 and Foote continued to maintain contact with her. The relationship between Foote and Jane Doe 1 deteriorated. Foote began contacting the victim on a repeated basis by phone, text and through social media, and he continued to contact Jane Doe 1’s family and friends.

After an incident in August 2018, Jane Doe 1 obtained a temporary restraining order against Foote from Billings Municipal Court. In October 2018, the court issued a permanent order of protection, prohibiting Foote from threatening or committing acts of violence, harassing, annoying, disturbing the peace or communicating, directly or indirectly, with Jane Doe 1, and with two other victims. The order also required Foote to stay 1,500 feet from the victims as well as their residences, jobs and vehicles.

In December 2018, Foote’s vehicle was observed outside of Jane Doe 1’s residence. Law enforcement arrived and found Foote nearby. Foote claimed he had traveled to Billings from Cody to buy materials for his construction business and did not know where Jane Doe 1 lived. In subsequent searches of Foote’s vehicle and residence, law enforcement found multiple electronic devices and photographs of Jane Doe 1 and other victims. Evidence from the devices linked Foote to a fake “private investigator” Facebook page he used to contact Jane Doe 1 as well as several internet searches for the victim’s residence in Montana.

Law enforcement’s investigation found that Foote used multiple aliases designed to conceal his tracks and that he made more than 1,500 calls to Jane Doe 1 in the Fall of 2018.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Billings Police Department, Laurel Police Department and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.

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