A part-time Volusia County prisoner transport deputy is out of a job and facing criminal charges after investigators say he secretly planted Bluetooth tracking devices on his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle and her adult daughter's car. Authorities identified the deputy as 65-year-old James Kleeman, who is charged with stalking and unlawful installation of a tracking device. The allegations include Ring camera footage and multiple AirTag alerts that the victim says stretch back into 2025.
How deputies say it unfolded
Volusia County detectives say the case began when the woman reported finding AirTags hidden in both vehicles, then checked security footage and saw someone crawling under her daughter's car. Deputies say she first started spotting the trackers in February 2025 and told investigators Kleeman repeatedly appeared wherever she was, at times driving an assigned sheriff's office vehicle. According to ClickOrlando, the situation took a bold turn when Kleeman allegedly pulled into the parking lot while the victim was inside the station giving her statement, which is when deputies arrested him that night.
Arrest, charges and department action
Court paperwork lists Kleeman on counts that include stalking and the illegal installation or use of tracking devices, with an entry tied to mid-April in Volusia County arrest logs. The official 24-hour arrest list details the statutes and booking information for the case, according to Volusia County arrest records. The sheriff’s office says Kleeman, a part-time prisoner transport employee hired in November 2012, was suspended without pay the day he was detained and fired the following day, according to reporting by West Orlando News.
Court developments
Following the late March arrest, prosecutors moved for added restrictions, and one local outlet reported that Kleeman was released on bond with conditions that include a no-contact order and GPS monitoring. That same outlet published surveillance video from investigators that shows a person crawling beneath a vehicle shortly before a hidden tracker was found. Prosecutors later flagged the case for further review after detectives turned over device data and video evidence to the State Attorney's Office, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
Tech and legal context
Advocates and law enforcement officials say small Bluetooth trackers like AirTags have increasingly become tools used in stalking cases, and statewide reporting shows those incidents climbing. WUSF has noted that Florida recently strengthened penalties for using such devices to assist serious crimes and warned that misuse is emerging as a domestic-violence concern. The trend is not limited to Volusia County, either. Coverage of a Hillsborough deputy arrested in April after investigators said they found a tracker on a woman's SUV highlights a broader enforcement push, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
What to watch next
Kleeman remains charged, and the case is pending in Volusia County courts. Reporting by FOX 35 Orlando noted that his next appearance was scheduled for mid-April as prosecutors continue sifting through device logs and surveillance footage. Officials urge anyone who receives an unexpected tracker alert or discovers a suspicious device to save notifications or video and contact local law enforcement, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors will decide whether to pursue felony counts as investigators wrap up their work.
Legal notes
Court paperwork lists Kleeman’s charges under Florida’s stalking statute and the law that bars installing tracking devices without consent. The alleged conduct can carry felony exposure depending on how prosecutors choose to file charges. Florida’s recent changes to penalties for device-related crimes mean prosecutors could consider tougher counts if they conclude a tracker was used to help facilitate a serious offense, per court records.
