def METHOD_NAME(request_id):
    """
    Mark the identified stale request ID as `stale` in Cachito.
    :param int request_id: request ID identified as stale
    :raise NetworkError: if the request to the Cachito API fails
    """
    try:
        log.info("Setting state of request %d to `stale`", request_id)
        request_rv = auth_session.patch(
            f'{config.cachito_api_url.rstrip("/")}/requests/{request_id}',
            json=payload,
            timeout=config.cachito_api_timeout,
        )
    except requests.RequestException:
        msg = f"The connection failed when setting the `stale` state on request {request_id}"
        log.exception(msg)
        raise NetworkError(msg)
    if not request_rv.ok:
        log.error(
            "Failed to set the `stale` state on request %d. The status was %d. "
            "The text was:\n%s",
            request_id,
            request_rv.status_code,
            request_rv.text,
        )