BEDFORD — A Bedford man with a history of domestic offenses is facing new criminal charges after allegedly launching a relentless, multi-platform harassment campaign against his ex-girlfriend, threatening to burn down her home and beat her in public.
The Bedford Police Department arrested Daniel A. Smith, 42, of Bedford, on a warrant on May 26th. Smith faces preliminary charges of stalking, intimidation, and harassment following an intensive police interview with the victim last week.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Bedford Police Officer J. Landon Jones, the investigation began at approximately 6:19 p.m. on May 20, 2026, when the female victim arrived at the police station to report a pattern of continuous harassment.
The woman told police she had ended a six-year relationship with Smith at the end of April due to his abusive and controlling behavior. Though she sought and was granted a protective order on May 18, it had not yet been formally served to Smith at the time of her report.
During an interview, the woman presented her phone to Officer Jones to demonstrate the sheer volume of Smith’s daily contact attempts. To bypass being blocked, Smith allegedly utilized the TextNow app and hijacked or created at least eight distinct Facebook accounts, including using the woman’s old profiles.
Officer Jones recorded the digital evidence on his body camera, noting that under just one burner account, he had attempted to voice-call the female victim approximately 65 times in four days. Numerous threatening text messages were also sent.
Under another account, Smith allegedly sent dozens of additional messages, threatening to intentionally get the female victim fired from her job
While sitting with Officer Jones in the police department interview room, the female victim received a live notification that Smith was attempting to message her via Google Chat.
Police reviewed the fresh messages, sent from an account linked to Smith earlier that morning. One message stated, “I promise you you’ll get what you deserve today,” followed by, “to burn that place down or just drag you out and beat you in front of everybody…”
The woman also played an automated voice message received from the account. Officer Jones, who has had past professional interactions with the suspect, positively identified the voice on the recording as Smith’s. In the audio recording, Smith allegedly threatened to commit suicide and told the woman it would be her fault; a recurring threat the woman said he made across multiple platforms.
The ongoing harassment extended beyond the digital realm. Because the woman does not own a vehicle, she relies on walking to navigate her daily schedule, including traveling to her job, therapy appointments, and community service.
The woman reported that Smith had been actively stalking her movements in his red Ford Fusion. On one occasion, while she was volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, she looked outside to find Smith parked across the street, staring at her.
Hours before coming to the police station on May 20, the woman was walking near the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) at 615 X Street when Smith allegedly pulled his vehicle up alongside her on the street and ordered her to get inside. Terrified, the woman fled and contacted the police.
The woman told Officer Jones that the constant surveillance has left her deeply paranoid, forcing her to constantly look over her shoulder and carry pepper spray and a pocket knife for self-defense whenever she leaves her residence.
Bedford Police records indicate that Smith is not a stranger to local law enforcement; he has prior arrests and convictions for invasion of privacy, stalking, and intimidation.
Following the interview on the evening of May 20, Officer Jones and Officer Turner located Smith and officially served him with the active protective order, which Smith stated he understood.
Due to the escalating severity of the physical and digital threats, Officer Jones formally submitted the affidavit on May 21, 2026, requesting a judicial arrest warrant and the implementation of a formal bond schedule to ensure public safety. Smith was detained on that warrant on May 26th.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
