Florida man stalked woman he met on dating app, stole her late son's ashes when she cut off contact, deputies say

A Florida man was arrested Saturday after he GPS-tracked a woman he met on a dating app, stole a teddy bear containing her son's ashes and threatened to burn it if she kept ignoring him, according to detectives.

Justin Fountain, 31, of Palm Coast, was taken into custody Aug. 1 after the Flagler County Sheriff's Office and Flagler Beach Police Department worked together to locate him on I-95 heading north toward Georgia.

The victim told deputies that after she cut off contact with Fountain for being controlling and aggressive, he showed up at her workplace without warning. She again told him to stop following her, according to information provided by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.

When she returned to a hotel she had been staying at, she said she spotted his vehicle in the parking lot. When she saw his car, she left and met a friend at a Culver's restaurant nearby. Fountain showed up there, too.

She then went to Flagler Beach to get away from him, the sheriff's office said. While there, she received alerts that someone had signed into her social media accounts. She believed Fountain had accessed them while she was sleeping, without her permission.

The victim told deputies that Fountain sent her threatening text messages. Among them, according to the victim, were threats warning her not to contact law enforcement, including a message saying she would be arrested on a warrant if she did. He also sent messages saying, "You need to answer my calls if you know what's good for you" and "I'm going to destroy you."

Fountain also texted the victim that he had taken the teddy bear containing her son's ashes and would "burn it" if she continued to ignore him.

Deputies located Fountain driving northbound on I-95 and conducted a traffic stop. He told them he was heading to Georgia. A search of his vehicle turned up the stolen teddy bear. The ashes were returned to the victim.

Fountain was charged by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office with aggravated stalking, extortion and hindering communication with law enforcement. The Flagler Beach Police Department added charges of unauthorized installation of a tracking device and accessing an electronic device without authority.

Flagler Beach Police Deputy Chief Michael Schoenbrod credited the cooperation between the two agencies for the arrest. 

"He was an obvious threat to the victim and he needed to be taken off the street before he harmed her," Schoenbrod said in a Facebook post.

Sheriff Rick Staly praised the victim's decision to come forward despite the threats. 

"Be extremely careful who you give access to your life," Staly said. "Your cell phone, laptop and residence hold banking info, social media accounts and cherished memories. Evil, jealous and cruel men like Fountain will use anything to control their victims including extorting them with their most personal and emotional memories."

Fountain is being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on no bond.