Westmoreland jail inmate accused of sending explicit letters to woman

A Westmoreland County Prison inmate was arraigned Wednesday on charges he sent explicit letters to a worker at the Sutersville post office, according to court papers.

Rickie Linn Case, 59, is charged with two counts of harassment.

Investigators said Case lived near the post office before he was arrested in September by state police, who accuse him of using an arrow to puncture the tires on two vehicles and threatening to stab a person who confronted him about it. He has been held since then at the Hempfield jail on $75,000 bond, according to online court records.

County detectives said a woman reported in December receiving a sexually explicit letter from Case. He is accused of sending at least three more letters and cards on Feb. 23 and March 3 and 16, according to court papers.

Authorities said they obtained copies of some of the letters, warning him after the second mailing to stop or face arrest. When he was confronted by investigators after the most recent letter, police said Case admitted to sending the communications, according to court papers.

His bond was set Wednesday at $50,000 in the harassment case. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. An April 9 preliminary hearing is set.

Police in the September incident said Case punctured the tires on two vehicles that were parked near his Third Avenue apartment in Sutersville. Troopers recovered a crossbow and arrow, according to court papers. Case is charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats and related offenses. No court action has been scheduled, according to online court records.