Lisa Roose-Church

Livingston Daily

A Brighton Township woman avoided a jail sentence Tuesday for stalking another through Facebook’s messenger app, but she was given a 15-day sentence for violating probation in a separate case.

Cynthia Priscilla Davis told a Livingston County District Court judge that she didn’t intend to scare the stalking complainant, but simply was dealing with an issue “about my ex.”

“I felt bad she felt that way,” the 35-year-old defendant said.

Davis had initially been charged with unlawful posting of a message, a felony, but it was dismissed in a plea deal with the prosecution.

The woman who filed the complaint testified at a July hearing that Davis sent her six Facebook messages within 15 to 20 minutes and that one message indicated “I better watch out because (Davis) had nothing to lose.”

► Related: Woman admits to stalking via Facebook

The complainant, who said Davis was “fine” to her until the defendant learned she was dating the woman’s ex-boyfriend, described the messages as coming “violently,” and she noted one message indicated that she “better watch her back because I’m coming for you.”

Prior to announcing a sentence, Judge L. Suzanne Geddis asked Davis to take a drug test and expressed concern that the results appeared to show Davis “tried to fool the test, which is not good.”

Davis said she has not drunk alcohol or used drugs and that the test Tuesday was diluted because she “drank a lot of water” due to her medication.

Geddis agreed to sentence Davis to the recommended two-year probation sentence for stalking. The judge also ordered Davis to stay off social media and to randomly test as well as use Soberlink, which is a portable breathalyzer.

District Judge Carol Sue Reader, however, sentenced Davis to 15 days in the county jail for violating probation in a separate case.

In that case, Assistant Prosecutor Allison Bars told Reader that a 15-day jail sentence “is perfectly reasonable” considering Davis’ history, including the diluted sample she provided on Tuesday.

“We ask you consider the diluted (test) as a positive,” Bars said.

Assistant Prosecutor Scott Ehlfeldt told Geddis that a warrant request alleging Davis committed a malicious of destruction offense is reportedly pending. However, he said that request has not been record by his office as of Tuesday.

Contact Livingston Daily justice reporter Lisa Roose-Church at 517-552-2846 or lrchurch@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @LisaRooseChurch.