Career Criminal Sentenced to 40 Years for Stalking Ex-Girlfriend

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- On Monday, June 7, 2021, moments before jury selection, Kenneth Mahaffey of Humble, Texas, pleaded guilty to Stalking, a Third Degree Felony, in the 221st District Court, the Honorable Judge Lisa Michalk presiding. In accordance with his plea, Mahaffey, 49, received a sentence of 40 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Because of his prior criminal history, Mahaffey faced a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

On May 25, 2020, Deputy Clayton Colson with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call made by Mahaffey's ex-girlfriend. The victim reported Mahaffey was sending her many emails containing threats directed at the victim and the victim's family. The victim had recently ended their relationship after enduring months of physical and emotional abuse by Mahaffey. Deputy Colson initiated an investigation and advised Mahaffey to cease all communications with the victim. However, in response to Deputy Colson's explicit warnings, Mahaffey's behavior and threats began to escalate. Mahaffey continued to send threatening emails at all hours of the day and night. Mahaffey even told the victim, '...you're gonna be [the] reason I end up on death row.'

On multiple occasions, Mahaffey would slowly drive by and appear unannounced at the victim's house, hoping to catch her when she was alone. On June 1, 2020, Mahaffey returned to the victim's home. Mahaffey walked up the porch to the front door when the victim's father confronted him at gunpoint. The victim's father had determined not to go to work that day out of fear that Mahaffey would harm his daughter and his family. Confronted by the father, Mahaffey fled the area before law enforcement could arrive. Deputy Jacob Currington with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office responded to the call. Deputy Currington decided to pursue an expedited arrest warrant to bring Mahaffey into custody before he could hurt the victim and her family.

In the years before this incident, Mahaffey assaulted another a-girlfriend by striking her in the head with a brick and attempting to force her into the trunk of her car. In that assault, Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Office were able to rescue the young woman from Mahaffey's motel room. The deputies also found over a gram of crack cocaine. Mahaffey received a prison sentence for these offenses. In addition, Mahaffey has also received prison sentences for Forgery, and Engaging in Organized Crime. More recently, Mahaffey received a fifteen-year prison sentence for Evading Arrest with a Motor Vehicle.

Assistant District Attorney Kevin Bratcher: 'We are very grateful for the proactive approach by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office in getting this violent felon off the streets before he could carry out his threats. We hope the victim and her family can finally find some peace.'

District Attorney Brett Ligon: 'Stalking is one of the ways perpetrators of domestic violence maintain control over their victims. The abuser tries to present two options to a victim: be abused with me or live in fear without me. However, this case demonstrates that victims have another option which is to seek help from law enforcement. Montgomery County law enforcement, including the District Attorney's Office, will answer that call. There is help, there is hope, and there is a place to put away the Mahaffeys of this world.