FRUITPORT TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A man has been charged for allegedly stalking his ex-wife in Fruitport Township.
According to documents filed in federal court, 44-year-old Mitchell Joseph Pierce is accused of threatening and harassing his ex-wife from December 2021 until May 2022.
In July 2021, Pierce pleaded no contest to assaulting his wife. As part of his probation conditions in the case, he was required to have no contact with her whatsoever, be it verbal, written, electronic or physical.
According to investigators, Pierce completely disregarded these parameters — apparently texting her three times and calling her six times.
One of those text messages allegedly contained a picture of a firearm and the message, "I went and got these because I'm ready to start blowing ppl [sic] away and die suicide by cop."
Court documents say that Pierce sent his ex-wife an email on April 22, 2022 that said in part, "You have betrayed me way more then [sic] I betrayed you... I will kill you b—h.. 100% you are going to f———g die. I was going to let you and the boys live if you called me and actually talk.. instead you wanted to play with me."
The very next day, on April 23, Pierce's ex-wife reported to police in Fruitport Township that she received nine emails from him in which he allegedly threatened to "torture and kill" her and her children if she did not pick up the phone when he called.
He also allegedly threatened to "commit a school shooting" where her children attended.
On April 27, Pierce allegedly sent her a "hit list," which included the name of one of his ex-wife's old boyfriends.
A few days later, on April 29, two attorneys who Pierce had apparently hired in the past reported to police that he had sent them an email threatening to "kill their children" if they did not send Pierce money.
An email allegedly ended with Pierce saying, "Tonight the case better be in my bank or your kids are dead."
One of the attorneys worked for Pierce during a previous felony assault case, while the other represented Pierce in his recent divorce.
On May 2, his ex-wife called police to tell them that Pierce had sent her various messages, one of which included a video of him driving by her home.
Later that day, police in Muskegon Township received a call from his ex-wife saying that she had just struck Pierce with her vehicle.
She told police that she had been driving on Apple Avenue when she noticed Pierce following her in a white Jeep.
After she pulled into a parking lot and started to dial 911, Pierce allegedly got out of his vehicle and started approaching her.
In court documents, his ex-wife said she was "in fear for her life."
Officers responded to the area and eventually located Pierce hiding in the bathroom of a restaurant.
He is expected to go to trial for the stalking and felon-in-possession-of-a-firearm charges on Jan. 10, 2023.
Pierce is currently lodged at the Newaygo County Jail.
