A stalker released from jail due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been arrested for allegedly committing the same crime against the same victim, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
Jonathan Derasacosta, 22, of East Palo Alto, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of stalking, committing a felony while out on bail and disobeying a court order in connection with a disturbing incident at the victim’s San Carlos home in May.
Derasacosta is accused of going to the victim’s home and writing the victim’s name on a wall with a red substance, possibly blood, the sheriff’s office said.
In 2016, Derasacosta and the victim reportedly became friends, but then three years later Derasacosta wanted to be more than friends and started harassing and stalking her. She eventually moved to attend college in San Diego, and unbeknownst to her, Derasacosta followed her and began stalking her on campus. He was eventually arrested by UC San Diego police in March 2019 for stalking and violating a restraining order. Once released from jail, he continued to ignore the restraining order and was arrested again in June 2019 for stalking the victim in San Diego.
Early this year, Derasacosta was released from jail due to the COVID pandemic and he apparently returned to his stalking ways. His victim had returned back to San Carlos to do online studies when her name was written against a wall in red.
Derasacosta was arrested after detectives gathered evidence and conducted “a lengthy investigation,” the sheriff’s office said.
Anyone with additional information about Jonathan Derasacosta is asked to contact Detective Josh Wang 650-363-4055 or email jwang@smcgov.org.
