A Linton man is accused of sending an inappropriate and unwanted message to a woman via the Facebook Messenger app.

James R. Lawson, Jr., 46, Linton, is being summoned to appear in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing in January.

The woman went in to the sheriff’s department on November 21 to report that she had received a message from Lawson at 3:12 a.m. that morning.

GCSD Deputy Michael Coy, the investigating officer, said the woman was interviewed by Deputy David Elmore. The woman said she was asleep when the message was received but she saw it when she woke up. Attached to the message was a 20-second video of a male involved in a solo sexual activity.

The woman responded to the message by saying she was not interested in seeing this, and that it was unwarranted and unwanted.

The woman said she was familiar with Lawson only as an acquaintance and had never been involved in any type of relationship with him.

Later in the day, Deputy Coy talked to Lawson in Linton. Lawson allegedly said he did not remember having any conversations with anyone that morning and couldn’t remember sending any messages. He allegedly said he was familiar with the woman but had not had any contact with her lately.

Deputy Coy reported that not long after he interviewed Lawson, the woman received another message from Lawson that said, “Sorry I didn’t think you get mad.”

A case was filed against Lawson on a preliminary charge of harassment, a Class B misdemeanor.