United States Attorney David Metcalf has announced the sentencing of Victor Ortiz, 47, from Philadelphia, to 84 months in prison for a public attack on his ex-girlfriend. Ortiz, found guilty in September last year, will also serve three years of supervised release and pay $3,300 in restitution. The court found Ortiz guilty of stalking, seriously injuring, and permanently disfiguring the woman.
The incident occurred on May 4, 2022, when Ortiz attacked his ex-girlfriend with soda ash, causing temporary blindness in her left eye and leaving permanent scars. Investigators revealed that Ortiz had been monitoring her movements by installing a GPS device on her vehicle.
Ortiz's criminal behavior includes previous convictions for harassment. He was convicted in 2005 in Delaware County for harassing his ex-wife and found to have stalked another ex-girlfriend in 2016, using similar GPS tracking.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf commented, “Victor Ortiz has a troubling pattern of refusing to move on when his relationships end. In this case, he grew more and more fixated on his ex-partner, escalating from harassment to stalking to a violent assault that caused his victim lasting physical and emotional harm. While prosecuting Mr. Ortiz can’t undo that damage, this sentence keeps him off the street, holds him accountable, and secures some measure of justice for the innocent woman he was so determined to hurt.”
Edward V. Owens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, reinforced the agency's commitment: “Victor Ortiz’s deliberate and cruel actions inflicted deep physical and emotional harm on his victim. HSI Philadelphia stands firm in its commitment to protecting individuals from predators and ensuring justice is served. Through our strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement, we will continue to pursue those who pose a threat to our communities and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
The investigation was a joint effort by Homeland Security Investigations and the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Miller and Angella Middleton.
