Man released from prison for five days when he allegedly stalked, harassed teenagers

Andrew “Brandt” Clay, 25, of Gainesville, was scheduled to appear for a bond hearing at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in a case where he is facing charges of stalking, three counts of harassment and peace disturbance in connection with a Jan. 27 incident, just five days after he said he had been released from the Missouri Department of Corrections in another case, officials say.

He was arrested on a warrant Feb. 5 and had been held in the Ozark County Jail since that time. Details of the bond reduction hearing were not available at presstime Tuesday.

According to the probable cause statement, prepared by Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Sherman, a juvenile victim reported that when Clay saw him parked at a gas pump in Gainesville, he turned his truck around and came down to the convenience store, got out of his vehicle at the gas pump the victim was using and told the teen that  “he better watch his back,” and “whoever is sleeping with my wife better watch their back too,” according to the report. Clay then shoved the juvenile victim in the chest with his two hands. The teen told the officer he believed Clay wanted to fight him and his friends. 

Another juvenile at the scene told the officer that Clay yelled: “You better not lie to me and tell me who you are, or I’ll shoot your car and turn it into Swiss cheese,” the report says. 

On Jan. 30, the first victim called again to report that Clay had drove to the Gainesville baseball field, sat in his truck and stared at him and his friends for a period of time before driving off. The victim is younger than 17, the report says, and the officer wrote that he believed “Andrew’s conduct served no legitimate purpose but to frighten and cause emotional distress to the juvenile victim.”

Sherman interviewed Clay on Feb. 3, and under Miranda, he reportedly said he was at the gas station that night and that the thought of fighting had crossed his mind.

Clay is considered a prior offender and therefore will face stricter punishment and sentencing if convicted.