Texas man charged with stalking woman in Channahon

A Leander, Texas, man faces a felony stalking charge that accused him of traveling to a woman’s workplace in Channahon after she repeatedly rebuffed his advances.

Saaketh Erraguntla, 25, was taken to the Will County jail on June 25 after Judge Donald DeWilkins signed a $30,000 bond warrant for his arrest in the incident. Erranguntla’s home of Leander is about 26 miles north of Austin.

A grand jury indicted Erraguntla on a felony charge of stalking and claims he engaged in non-consensual contact with a woman by appearing at her workplace in Channahon on May 12 and May 13.

The charge alleged Erraguntla made the contact while knowing the woman would fear for her safety.

The woman was contacted at her workplace by security guards who told her Erraguntla was on the premises to see her, but she told them she did not want to see him, Will County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said.

Deputies spoke with the woman and she told them she had known Erranguntla when she lived in another state and on several occasions over a few years he had asked her for dates, Hoffmeyer said.

The woman told deputies she never agreed to go out with him and advised him multiple times to stop talking to her, Hoffmeyer said.

In January, the woman relocated to Will County for a job, and Erranguntla attempted to contact her again through social media in April, Hoffmeyer said.

The woman blocked the man from her accounts, she said.

The woman told deputies that Erraguntla claimed to security guards at her job that the two were in a dating relationship, she said.

The woman told deputies she was overwhelmed and scared.

The woman petitioned a protective order on May 13 that alleged Erranguntla was harassing her over social media. She also alleged Erranguntla flew from Texas to Chicago and came to her workplace to see her even though she rejected him multiple times.

A judge granted the woman’s petition the same day.

Erranguntla posted the $3,000 he needed for his release from jail on June 27. As a condition of bond, he’s not allowed to have contact with the woman but he is allowed to reside in Texas while his case is pending.