BEDFORD — A Bedford Police Department investigation has resulted in charges against a transient man accused of repeatedly contacting his ex-girlfriend despite an active protective order.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Officer Steven Hatton Jr. responded to the Bedford Police Department on July 10 after a woman reported that her ex-boyfriend, 37-year-old Blake E. Lake, had violated a protective order by continuing to contact her.
The woman told police Lake had previously contacted her while he was in Indianapolis and had recently returned to the Bloomington area. She alleged that because Lake did not have a phone of his own, he used other people’s phones and social media accounts to send her messages.
Police said the woman provided screenshots of text messages, voice recordings allegedly sent by Lake on July 9, and a photograph that she said Lake sent to her on the morning of July 10. While reviewing one of the voice recordings, officers reported that the speaker allegedly stated he did not care about the protective order.
The woman also alleged that Lake used another person’s social media account to contact her and at times pretended to be her 11-month-old son’s parent in an effort to communicate with her. She told officers she has full custody of the child and that Lake is not listed on the child’s birth certificate.
According to the affidavit, officers collected the digital evidence and confirmed that an active protective order was in place against Lake.
Based on the investigation, police requested an arrest warrant charging Lake with invasion of privacy with a prior conviction and harassment.
The charges are allegations, and Lake is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
