Couple accused of on-line harrassment campaign

October 17, 2008 06:47 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

POOL PHOTO/KATE GLASS
Gail and William Johnson (far left and rear right) stand behind their lawyers, Susan McNeil
and Ron Ranta during their arraignment at Lawrence District Court.

By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff

An Andover couple was arrested this morning and charged with criminally harassing their neighbors over the Internet because of a property dispute.

The harassment allegedly started with a fake advertisement on Craig's List for used golf carts and other annoyances, like an unwanted memberships to a national nudist association. It then escalated to fake reports of child abuse to state social workers, mysteriously opened bank accounts, and threatening emails and letters, prosecutors said.

Bill and Gail Johnson, both 51, of High Vale Lane, pleaded not guilty to counts of criminal harassment, identity fraud and conspiracy at their arraignment in Essex District Court. The Johnsons, parents of three teenage daughters, stood silently in the courtroom. Each had hired their own attorney.

Both lawyers said the couple are Tewksbury High School graduates who own a realty company and have lived in Andover for nine years.

Bill Johnson's lawyer, Ron Ranta, said his client had done nothing wrong and that a third man, Gerald D. Colton, was responsible for the on-line harassment.

"All the forensic [computer] evidence in this case points directly at Mr. Colton," Ranta said. "He has a very strong motivation for fabrication."

The harassment took place over several weeks in March, authorities said. According to court records, the alleged victims, Jim Lyons and his family, began receiving dozens of harassing and threatening e-mails and phone calls last March. At one point, DSS social workers came to their home to investigate false claims that their 14-year-old son had abused a female at school.

Lyons and police traced the e-mail address to Colton, of Lowell. Police confiscated his computer earlier this month. Prosecutors said today that information from his computer showed that he was threatening the Lyons on behalf of his high school friends, Bill and Gail Johnson.

The Johnsons were released on bails of $2,000 and $1,000 this afternoon. The Lyons declined to comment.