A 32-year-old man was arrested at his Gilbert residence on Monday after police say he left a former high school classmate more than 100 voicemails and made repeated statements about attacking a Pride parade. Austin Jay Curtis now faces felony stalking and terrorist-threat charges, along with a misdemeanor count, after what investigators describe as a monthslong pattern of harassment that escalated into threats of violence.
Curtis was arrested October 12 at his Gilbert residence, according to ABC15 Arizona, which reported that he left the victim over 100 voicemails from an unknown phone number. Court records cited by the station say Curtis threatened to stalk the victim, rape her, cut off her limbs and fire at people at a Pride parade. He also made suicidal statements in some of the voicemails, per the same report.
A Years-Long Pattern That Escalated to Her Doorstep
The woman had first reported telephone harassment by Curtis to Chandler police back in July, a case that was assigned to the Chandler city prosecutor at the time, the outlet's reporting indicates. But the situation reportedly intensified on October 11, when Curtis visited her Chandler residence, banged on her door, and left bags and boxes on her doorstep. Those containers held several knives, a set of keys, dog poop bags and miscellaneous items, according to the station's report, and Curtis later said he left the knives so the victim could protect herself.
Some of his voicemails mentioned bombs, prompting an explosive ordnance disposal unit to examine the packages left at her home; no explosive materials were found inside, the report notes. The next day, October 12, Curtis allegedly called the victim multiple times while she was at the Chandler Police Department, and he kept calling even after she told him to stop contacting her and ended the call, per the same account.
Curtis Reportedly Described an Obsession Spanning Years
During a call with the victim, Curtis confirmed that he had visited her residence, banged on her door and left the items, the station's report states. He reportedly said he was obsessed with the victim and had found her address online, and told her he had contacted her through TikTok and left her his own address. He estimated he had sent the victim about 9 million messages over roughly a year and a half, and admitted visiting her residence two to three times.
Curtis reportedly said he had done this to several people and that it had become an obsession, and he claimed he believed the victim might be in a cult and need rescue. He also allegedly told investigators that taking too much Adderall made it difficult for him to know what was real. He admitted making rape and other threatening comments to the victim but claimed the comments were jokes and that he did not intend to harm her.
The Pride Parade Threats and an Admission
Curtis admitted making statements about hurting people at a Pride parade, saying the comments were, in his words, “just a joke” and that he says things people shouldn't say to test the First Amendment, according to the outlet. He reportedly told investigators he was surprised it took so long to get arrested, and acknowledged he had been making threats online for years.
A search of Curtis's residence turned up several firearms, including an assault-type rifle, along with electronic devices and edged weapons, per the report. The victim told police she fears for her safety, sought temporary shelter after Curtis came to her home, filed for an injunction against harassment, and requested a police escort before his arrest. She also expressed concern that Curtis would carry out his threats after being taken into custody.
Charges and Bond
Curtis faces one count of stalking, a class 5 felony; one count of making a terrorist threat, a class 3 felony; and one count of threatening or intimidating, a class 1 misdemeanor, the station reported. He is being held on a $75,000 secured appearance bond. Court records list prior arrests for marijuana possession, domestic violence assault, domestic violence disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, as well as prior convictions for liquor under 21 and disorderly conduct fighting, according to the same report.
Pride Events Have Drawn Threats Before
Threats against Pride gatherings have surfaced elsewhere in Arizona and beyond in recent years. The Phoenix Pride Parade was targeted by an earlier explosives plot, and a teenager was later sentenced for plotting to detonate explosives at the 2024 event, which prosecutors described as an ISIS-inspired attack, according to KTAR News. That case involved Marvin Jalo, who was 18 when he was sentenced to 1.75 years in prison after prosecutors said he discussed bombing the festival in online chat rooms between November 2023 and May 2024. Despite the plot, the 2024 Phoenix Pride Parade proceeded without interruption, according to Arizona's Family.
Similar threats have surfaced outside Arizona as well. An FBI agent arrested a man in Anson, Texas, on suspicion of making online threats about the Abilene Pride parade the day before it was scheduled to take place, according to USA TODAY. In Austin, a man was convicted after threatening to harm school board members over their participation in the 2023 Austin Pride Parade, with a post vowing to have “my sniper rifle ready and pointed straight at you,” per KXAN.
