A St. Paul man who posted his ex-girlfriend’s address on Facebook along with a message urging men to visit her for sex will spend a couple of weeks in jail for the scheme.

Kou Thao, 45, was sentenced to 30 days in jail in Ramsey County District Court Wednesday on one count of violating a harassment/restraining order. His attorney, Michelle Anna Speeter Margoles, said the judge is allowing him to serve his time via electric home monitoring.

He previously faced stalking allegations but that count was dropped as part of a plea deal Thao reached with the prosecutor.

“Mr. Thao and I believe that (the judge’s) sentencing order in this case was very reasonable,” Margoles said. “She looked at all of the circumstances in this case and specifically indicated, on the record, that she didn’t think sitting in jail was necessary for Mr. Thao. Instead, she ordered that he be able to serve his time from his home through electric home monitoring and also that he enter a program specifically for Hmong-American men.”

Thao will spend an additional 60 days in jail if he fails to meet the terms of his one-year probation, which include receiving domestic abuse counseling.

Thao’s ex contacted police after strangers started showing up at her house on Margaret Street last August in response to the ads, which were posted on the walls of several fictitious Facebook accounts created by Thao, according to his criminal complaint.

The advertisements indicated that Thao’s ex would take the men to a private location after meeting at her St. Paul house. Once there, the posts indicated she would pay the men between $40 and $200 in exchange for sex.

One of the posts was made on a fictitious Facebook account created using Thao’s ex-girlfriend’s husband’s name so that his family and friends would see it, charges said.

Related Articles Two men face felony charges in Bloomington home invasion

Police: Teen has life-threatening injuries after being shot in face in St. Paul

Investigators call on driver in fatal Maplewood hit-and-run to come forward

Former St. Thomas student pleads guilty to hoax bomb threat

Minneapolis teen charged in shooting death of campaign worker The woman cried and told officers that she was “very fearful” of what would happen to her as a result of the posts, the complaint said.

In an interview with police, Thao admitted to taking a photograph of his ex’s address from one of her electric bills and posting it to Facebook along with the advertisement.

His attorney said the victim in the case has also harassed Thao via social media, and added that her client is sorry for his own actions.

“Mr. Thao feels terrible that he made Facebook posts about Ms. Lee in response to this harassment and thereby violated a restraining order,” Margoles said. “He has ceased all contact with Ms. Lee since he was first approached by law enforcement.”

His criminal record includes two driving-while-intoxicated convictions in 2015 and 2016.