A Miami man has found himself on the wrong side of the law after employing a GPS device to track the whereabouts of his ex-girlfriend. Alfredo Javier Cedeno, 35, has been arrested and is facing charges related to stalking and violation of privacy, as he allegedly installed a tracking gadget on his former partner's car without her knowledge or consent. This case marks one of the first under the new Florida Statute 934.425, which came into effect earlier this month and has raised the stakes for such invasive actions from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony offense.
According to details from NBC Miami, Cedeno’s connection with the victim lasted for two and a half years, and ended without the pair having children in common. The trouble started when the victim began noticing her ex in various places she frequented, which led to the concerning discovery of the GPS tracker on her vehicle. Police reports, as highlighted by NBC Miami, reveal that Cedeno utilized a tracking service to monitor her movements rigorously.
Under the new law, anyone caught using a tracking device to monitor someone without their permission can be sentenced to up to five years in prison. This legislation was enacted to address issues of technology-facilitated harassment and stalking, reinforcing privacy protections in an increasingly digital age. The victim in this instance reported the unauthorized surveillance on July 20 after an unsettling pattern of her ex's appearances lined up with her own itinerary, prompting her to search and find the tracking device.
Alfredo Javier Cedeno was detained on August 26 and subsequently housed at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK), as reported by CBS News. In court, a judge mandated a stay-away order, requiring that Cedeno keep a distance of at least 500 feet from the victim, her home, and places of work and education. His bond was set at a robust $12,500. His girlfriend, when asked for a comment by NBC6, chose to remain silent on the situation and the arrest.
