Man convicted of using GPS tracker to stalk victim

ADENA, Ohio (WJW) – An eastern Ohio man was sentenced to prison in a cyberstalking case that included using a GPS system to track the victim’s whereabouts.

According to court documents, Michael Bertolino, Jr., now 35, placed a GPS tracker on the victim’s car and and kept track of them on his computer.

He also sent the victim disturbing Google Earth images to show that he was tracking them at all times.

According to investigators, Bertolino created social media accounts to post derogatory comments on the victim’s accounts, as well as family and friends’ accounts.

One of those Facebook accounts, for example, had explicit photos of the victim as its profile picture, court documents say.

Investigators say Bertolino sent the victim thousands of messages from what appeared to be 19 different phone numbers. In some of those messages, investigators say he threatened to kill the suspect or post compromising photos of them online.

The incident happened throughout 2020.

He was also convicted of two other federal charges.

According to court documents, Bertolino conspired with others to rob a drug dealer at gunpoint in Cadiz, Ohio.

After arranging to meet up through SnapChat, court documents say Bertonlino robbed them of half a pound of marijauana and 50 THC cartridges.

According to investigators, Bertonlino shot at the ground near the victim’s head during the robbery.

In July 2021, Bertolino pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and cyberstalking.

He was sentenced to 14 years in prison.