Yuma Man Arrested After Six-Year Discord Stalking Case, Police Say

Filip Lipinski, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen living in Denmark, was arrested by Yuma Police Department detectives after an investigation into six years of alleged stalking that started on the chat app Discord and ultimately drew him to Arizona in person three separate times.

YPD says the victim first connected with Lipinski on Discord roughly six years ago. She eventually ended contact with him, but his behavior persisted and grew increasingly disturbing. This month she brought the situation to police. Detectives used digital records and the victim's statements to build a timeline and probable cause for the arrest.

The physical escalation set this case apart: beginning in January 2022, Lipinski flew from Denmark to Yuma on three occasions despite the victim having cut off communication. Traveling internationally to reach someone who had severed all ties is what investigators describe as the defining thread of the inquiry.

Under Arizona Revised Statutes 13-2923, stalking that causes a victim reasonable fear or emotional distress is a Class 5 felony. When the conduct involves explicit threats of physical injury or death, the charge escalates to a Class 3 felony, which can carry up to seven years in prison. The statute applies equally to conduct carried out through digital platforms such as Discord.

Online harassment cases often share recognizable early warning signs: persistent contact after being blocked, references to a victim's physical location or daily routine, and repeated reappearance after someone attempts to end communication. These behaviors, even when confined to a screen, can precede real-world contact.

Document every message, screenshot every exchange, and record dates and times before deleting anything, even if the volume feels overwhelming. Report harassment to YPD at the non-emergency line, 928-783-4421. For help obtaining an order of protection or immediate crisis response, contact Amberly's Place, Yuma County's only family advocacy center, at its 24-hour crisis helpline, 928-373-0849. Crisis Response Advocates are available 24/7 and can respond on scene with police or at the Family Advocacy Center.

Formal charges, bail details, and a court date for Lipinski had not been announced as of Tuesday.