Officers with the Plano Police Department have arrested the man who reportedly followed a woman up the private staircase in her apartment complex. 

Harvy Malak Barsoom allegedly followed Breanna Morello, an internet influencer and journalist, from the street and up the private staircase in her Plano apartment complex on July 9 – even after she told him to leave, as The Dallas Express previously reported. Now, Plano police have arrested Barsoom for trespassing. 

Plano police booked Barsoom, 23, into the Collin County Jail on September 24. He faced a charge of criminal trespass. According to court records, he faced a magistration hearing on September 25. The next steps in the case remain unclear.

 

Plano police confirmed to Morello, in recordings reviewed by The Dallas Express, that they identified Barsoom as the suspect. 

“I’m glad Plano PD have finally made this arrest,” Morello told The Dallas Express. “Hopefully, the prosecutors make teaching him a lesson a top priority so no other woman has to go through this.”

The Incident

Morello was walking her dog near a shopping complex in northwest Plano when a man began following her, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. Surveillance footage shows him running after her as she crossed the street just before noon. 

 

She approached the private entrance to her apartment building and turned her head. The man slowed down and walked in her direction. Morello previously told The Dallas Express she felt he didn’t want to seem like a threat.

Morello went inside, and he went for the door, keeping it from closing after her, and following her inside. She walked up the small staircase, and footage shows the man speaking to her.

Surveillance footage shows Morello continuing up the stairs, and the man starting up the flight. He looked around the stairwell. 

At this point, Morello prepared to defend herself. Surveillance footage shows the man making a beeline for the exit. 

Investigators: ‘He was Attracted to You’

A Plano police officer responded to Morello’s apartment and interviewed her about the incident, as The Dallas Express reported. He took a report and suggested Barsoom was just flirting.

After the initial interview, Morello expressed concerns to The Dallas Express that she did not hear anything else from Plano police about the investigation until after she posted surveillance footage that went viral on August 25. 

Then, an investigator called her on August 29 to provide an update. The Dallas Express reviewed a recording of the call. 

A Plano police sergeant told Morello that officers identified Barsoom on August 26 and interviewed him the next day. Barsoom reportedly told the officers he fled because he thought Morello had a gun, which she previously declined to comment on.

“He wanted to talk to you, introduce himself, because he was attracted to you. He jogged across the street as you were going into the building, and used the dog as an intro to try to have a conversation,” the sergeant told Morello. “He admitted that he was too forward, which was clear by the video.”

Labeling Coverage as a ‘Hit Piece’

After The Dallas Express reached out for comment in early September, Plano Police Public Information Officer J.D. Minton forwarded the inquiry to Assistant Police Chief Dan Curtis, according to documents obtained by Judicial Watch and shared with The Dallas Express.

“FYI….ref Morello Stalking case,” he wrote. “I think a hit piece.”

Later that day, Curtis emailed Police Chief Ed Drain about Morello, according to the documents obtained by Judicial Watch.

“The former Fox journalist who lives in [REDACTED] and called in on the suspicious person stalker a while back is continuing to post on social media with the latest post occurring earlier today,” he wrote. “We have spoken with her several times and she has declined to file a complaint, although PSU [Professional Standards Unit] has looked into the matter.”

Morello disputed this claim, telling The Dallas Express she never declined to file a complaint.

“Although the suspects actions were suspicious, he did not commit a criminal offense,” Curtis wrote to Drain.

And yet, Plano police would eventually arrest Barsoom for trespassing.

“We were contacted earlier today in the PIO office by an independent journalist who was doing an online news story regarding this incident which, according to the reporting party has already received over 2 million views on social media,” Curtis added.

Minton informed The Dallas Express in early September that investigators were working to solidify charges before taking further action. However, Morello initially expressed concerns that the Plano police only investigated the case due to public scrutiny.