Former U.S. Senate candidate to serve six months for stalking

A former U.S. Senate candidate from Gumboro will serve six months in prison and 18 months of probation after pleading guilty to one count of felony stalking and four felony counts of non-compliance with bond.

William Taylor, 41, was originally arrested in January 2024 by Fenwick Island Police Department for allegedly harassing a woman who had been helping Taylor with his campaign for the Republican nomination to run for the Senate seat that was then being vacated by Sen. Tom Carper. 

According to a police report, Taylor had invited her to go shooting with him. He had given her a ghost gun – a gun with no serial number – and then contacted her numerous times to have the gun returned, the report states. After the woman filed a report stating that Taylor was harassing her, police told Taylor to have no contact with the woman, and he could pick up his gun at the police station. Taylor had a federal license to collect antique firearms.

However, Taylor continued to text message the woman, and in late January 2024, she asked a judge to issue a no-contact order. Taylor allegedly sent another text that same month stating he “made a promise to the Lord to not do anything bad, but if anything happens to [my] father or any of [my] family, that deal is off,” the report states.

Taylor was charged with intimidation/reckless endangering/terroristic threatening/harassment. He was issued a no-contact order by a judge, ordered to relinquish his firearms, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $9,000 secured bond. After being released on bail, Taylor was arrested again in June, and a search of his home found four fully loaded firearms spread throughout the bedroom in plain view, and a fully loaded 9 mm handgun was under the pillow. Another 21 weapons and ammunition that Taylor did not turn in were found in a smaller bedroom, according to the police report.

Taylor was charged with two counts of harassing communication/phone/wire/mail and two counts of noncompliance with conditions of bond. He was also twice indicted by a grand jury on similar harassment and stalking counts.

Taylor was arrested again Oct. 24, after trying to contact the woman through a third party and violating conditions of his bail, police said. He was taken to Delaware State Police Troop 4 and charged with 12 counts of noncompliance with bond, three counts of harassment and stalking.