Walla Walla man arrested for allegedly cyber harassing woman via court Webex

WALLA WALLA — A 43-year-old Walla Walla man with a history of felony stalking made his initial court appearance Friday after authorities alleged he used court web-conferencing sessions and false crime tips to electronically harass a former coworker.

Michael Conrad Mettler was arrested Thursday after Walla Walla police determined he repeatedly violated an active protection order. Appearing via video link from the Walla Walla County Jail before Judge Brandon Johnson, Mettler faces potential felony charges of cyber harassment and violation of a court order violation. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to court records, Walla Walla police began investigating Mettler in July after learning he joined District Court Webex hearings under screen names targeting a former coworker. Monitoring software installed on Mettler’s phone as part of a prior DOC sentence revealed he accessed online hearings using aliases.

Police further alleged Mettler submitted a false report to an anonymous crime tip website claiming the former coworker was driving erratically after drinking. A search warrant executed on Mettler’s phone confirmed login activity and keystroke data matching the county court system’s records.

During the hearing, Walla Walla County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Buerstatte noted Mettler’s July 2025 convictions for felony stalking and cyber harassment, adding his community custody had expired just two days prior to his arrest. The female victim addressed the court, asking for mental health intervention. Judge Johnson set bail at $50,000. Formal arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.

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Elkhorn Media Group