Rock Rapids, Iowa — A Larchwood man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to a charge related to placing a tracking unit on someone’s car without their knowledge.
Due to a conflict within Lyon County, the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and Sioux County Attorney say they investigated and prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Iowa.
Sioux County Attorney Thomas G. Kunstle says 35-year-old Nicholas Serck of Larchwood was sentenced in Lyon County District Court for the crime of Unauthorized Use of a GPS Device, a Serious Misdemeanor. Kunstle says the law was enacted in 2015 to stop people using GPS devices to track others without their consent.
According to Kunstle, in July 2018, Serck surreptitiously placed a GPS device on the victim’s vehicle, with the intent of monitoring the movements of the victim. He says Serck maintained the device until the victim discovered it in mid-August. Kunstle tells us that Serck learned his GPS had been discarded so he placed another device on the victim’s new vehicle, sometime around August 19, 2018, again monitoring the victim’s movements until the victim again discovered it; but this time the victim transferred it to an acquaintance, who was worried about the victim’s safety, to mislead Serck’s tracking. The victim then contacted the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office reporting Serck had been stalking her using a GPS device without her consent.
On Tuesday, Serck pleaded guilty as charged to Unauthorized Use of a GPS Device, a Serious Misdemeanor. The plea agreement to which Serck consented said that he was to pay the maximum fine of $1,875, a 35% surcharge of $656.25, and court costs of $100.
