Prosecutors say the maximum sentence follows a Collin County jury’s guilty verdict after years of escalating messages and late-night visits.
MCKINNEY, Texas — A Collin County judge on Nov. 6 sentenced Robert Carroll Bevers, 40, to 20 years in state prison after a jury convicted him of stalking a Frisco woman, a case prosecutors described as the longest sentence in Texas for the crime. The victim, former TCU cheerleader and social media personality Peyton Mabry, said the harassment began with gifts and surveillance at her home and later turned into vulgar and threatening messages.
The sentence represents the maximum punishment available after jurors found Bevers guilty of third-degree felony stalking and prosecutors proved he qualified for an enhanced range due to his record. Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis praised the decision, crediting the victim’s testimony and investigators’ work in tying years of contact to a pattern of intimidation. The case drew attention because of its length and because the conduct continued despite earlier court orders, underscoring a growing focus by North Texas authorities on stalking that unfolds both online and around victims’ homes.
According to courtroom accounts, the first sign of trouble came June 1, 2021, when a package appeared at the Mabry family’s doorstep in Frisco. More followed. Home cameras captured a man driving past the residence repeatedly and leaving items at night and on holidays, including flowers placed on Valentine’s Day. After the family obtained a protective order, contact paused, then resumed and escalated. “I was absolutely terrified,” Mabry said in an interview, recalling how simple routines like walking to a car became fraught. By 2024, investigators said, the conduct had turned into a torrent of messages that were increasingly sexual, racist and threatening.
Prosecutors told jurors the communications were not isolated notes but part of a sustained pattern. Detectives secured warrants for phone, social media and location records and said they found attempts to reach Mabry dating back years, including under aliases. U.S. Marshals Task Force officers arrested Bevers on April 29, 2024, after Frisco police built the felony case. In court, Willis said the punishment “is due in no small part to the victim’s bravery and tenacity.” Officials also said witnesses described similar unwanted contact with Bevers, and that he had previously been committed to the Texas Youth Commission and served time for aggravated assault. A $10,000 fine accompanied the prison term. The defense position was not immediately available from court filings. Unknowns include how parole officials will weigh the threats and the length of prior supervision.
The case unfolded alongside an unusual legal turn. Earlier this year, a state appeals court set aside a lifetime protective order that had been granted in a related proceeding. That reversal did not end the criminal investigation, which continued as the tone of messages worsened, authorities said. Texas law makes stalking a third-degree felony on a first conviction, punishable by up to 10 years, but prior convictions can lift the range to 20. Prosecutors said that enhancement applied here. While 20 years is the statutory ceiling, authorities emphasized the rarity of judges imposing the maximum for stalking, which is why they described this sentence as a Texas record for the offense. Stalking cases in the region have drawn increasing scrutiny as online access gives offenders multiple avenues to contact victims.
In court, jurors heard from investigators and women who said Bevers targeted them in the past, including two former college classmates, the younger sister of a high school teammate and a Dallas criminal defense attorney. Records presented at trial traced activity to social accounts tied to Bevers and to burner accounts that echoed the same phrases and fixations over time. Frisco Detective Brenna Bearden led the investigation, according to officials, coordinating with digital platforms to preserve evidence. The jury returned a guilty verdict after several days of testimony. Mabry later said she felt “a shield of strength” when she took the stand, and prosecutors thanked her for staying with the case.
Texas has toughened stalking statutes over the past decade after several high-profile cases, and Collin County prosecutors have highlighted multiple maximum sentences for stalking since 2022. Advocates say the cases point to how quickly harassment can escalate from seemingly minor gestures—like gifts left at a doorstep—to persistent monitoring and threats. In this case, authorities said the pattern of drive-bys and late-night deliveries evolved into a barrage of explicit messages to the victim and her family. The court record also noted Bevers’s family history; his father is serving a life sentence in a separate stalking and sexual assault case, a detail that prosecutors said they offered to explain the defendant’s fixation but that the defense disputed in pretrial motions. The judge limited references to ensure jurors focused on the charged conduct.
Procedurally, Bevers remains eligible to seek parole consideration after he serves a portion of his sentence under Texas rules; officials said that could occur within a few years, subject to the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Any appeal of the conviction would be filed with the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas. Collin County prosecutors said they will notify the victim of any parole hearings and continue to coordinate with Frisco police on monitoring. Court dockets indicate post-trial motions are due in the coming weeks, followed by a deadline to file a notice of appeal. If appealed, transcripts and exhibits would move to the appellate court on a set schedule and be assigned to a three-justice panel.
Outside the courthouse, neighbors described the case as a reminder of how small changes in routine—lights left on, cars circling slowly—can unsettle a block. A resident who asked to be identified by first name said she saw a sedan pass the Mabry home “over and over at odd hours” during 2022. Another witness who testified told jurors she asked for the maximum so the women involved could have “a moment of peace.” Mabry thanked investigators and the jury afterward. “They did their part,” she said, adding that she hopes to rebuild her career but knows vigilance will remain part of her life.
As of Sunday, the 20-year sentence stands, and prosecutors said they expect any appeals to begin before the end of the year. Officials said they will release hearing dates if an appeal is filed and will update the case status when parole eligibility milestones occur in 2028.
Author note: Last updated November 23, 2025.