A former housekeeper’s reluctance to testify against a 78-year-old Villager she had accused of stalking has prompted a prosecutor to drop the case.
Herbert Larry Vajen, who lives at 2109 Barbosa Court in the Village of Santo Domingo, had been arrested last year in Ocala on a charge of stalking. The former housekeeper claimed that during her employment, Vajen had purchased lingerie for her and asked her to dance for him, according to the original arrest report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
However, Vajen later told a very different tale.
He said the woman had been his housekeeper, but in 2019, his health declined and he relocated from his home in The Villages to live near his daughter. He terminated the housekeeper, according to a motion to dismiss on file in Marion County Court. During his recovery, he discovered fraudulent activity on his credit card and checking accout. The activity included $5,100 in checks written with 34 days. The fraudulent credit card activity occurred in Ocala.
When Vajen’s health improved in 2021 he returned to The Villages and was contacted by his former housekeeper who sought his “financial support,” according to the court document. She provided her home address and Vajen decided to pay her a visit. Upon arrival, he asked for the return of the money he believed she’d stolen from him. She ordered him to leave. A few days later, he saw her in public and made the same request. She got in her car and drove away and so did Vajen. She called 911 and accused him of following her, leading to his arrest.
Earlier this month, the prosecutor’s office announced it would be filing no information with regard to the stalking allegation.
“Although there was probable cause for the arrest, based on the fact that the victim has been unresponsive the likelihood of conviction is slight. Efforts by the State Attorney’s Office to reach the victim have been unsuccessful,” State Attorney William Gladson wrote.