New York Man Charged with Stalking Golden Valley Woman

A New York man has been charged with stalking a Golden Valley woman after the two met at a party months ago.

Jason Rajendra Hira, 24, of Jamaica, N.Y., is facing a felony charge of stalking, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Hira remains in the Hennepin County Jail on a $100,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled March 14 in Hennepin County District Court.

According to the criminal complaint, compiled by Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Detective Noel Nelson, the victim called Golden Valley police on Jan. 9 and told them that she had met Hira four or five months earlier at a party.

The woman said they became friends, but that Hira quickly became “possessive." She said he found her work phone number online on Jan. 3 and called her “numerous times” at work, then repeatedly called her on her cell phone.

While a Golden Valley officer was taking the victim’s report, her cell phone rang repeatedly, and the woman said it was Hira, according to the complaint. An officer finally answered a call and explained to Hira that the victim didn’t want him to call her any more, and that he was committing a crime by doing so.

Hira told the officer that he didn’t care if the victim didn’t want to talk to him, and demanded to speak to her so she could “explain the truth to him,” according to the complaint. He told the officer that he didn’t care if he went to jail and that he needed to “fight for love,” according to Nelson’s account.

An hour after the Golden Valley officer left, the victim called and told him that Hira had called her on her work phone about 10 more times since she left work.

On Jan. 9, the victim reported to police that Hira was continuing to harass her, calling or sending text messages about 100 times. She said he had threatened to destroy her home and that he had said, “I’m going to show you what I’m going to do tomorrow,” according to the complaint.

On March 2, just before 7 a.m., airport police were patrolling the baggage claim area and found Hira “walking around the area” without luggage. When they questioned him, he told them he was waiting for his girlfriend to pick him up, according to the complaint.

Police called the girlfriend’s number and found that it belonged to the victim, who said she wasn’t expecting Hira and had no plans to pick him up. She told police that Hira had started to get “psycho” and that she was afraid of him and didn’t want him near her, according to the complaint.

Since Hira’s arrest, he has tried to call the victim “numerous” times from the Hennepin County Jail, according to sheriff’s records.