FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A Palm Coast man was arrested after deputies say he used GPS tracking to follow a woman he met through a dating app, threatened her, accessed her social media accounts without permission and stole a teddy bear containing her child’s ashes.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded on Aug. 1 to the Flagler Beach Police Department after the victim reported that 31-year-old Justin Andrew Fountain had become increasingly controlling and aggressive.
The victim told investigators Fountain tracked her location, followed her throughout Flagler County and continued contacting her after she repeatedly told him to stop. She also reported that Fountain stole a teddy bear containing her son’s ashes and sent her more than 100 text messages over several hours.
Investigators said that after the victim ended contact with Fountain, he unexpectedly appeared at her workplace. Later, when she returned to the hotel where she was staying, she found Fountain’s vehicle parked outside.
The victim left the hotel and met a friend at a Culver’s restaurant, but deputies said Fountain followed her there as well and again attempted to speak with her despite being told to leave her alone.
According to investigators, the victim then traveled to Flagler Beach in an attempt to get away from Fountain. While there, she began receiving alerts indicating someone had logged into her social media accounts. The victim told deputies she had never given Fountain permission to access those accounts and believed he obtained access while she was asleep.
Deputies said Fountain also sent threatening text messages warning the victim not to contact law enforcement, including telling her she would be arrested on a warrant if she called police. Other messages allegedly included statements such as, “You need to answer my calls if you know what’s good for you” and “I’m going to destroy you.”
Investigators said Fountain also admitted in text messages that he had taken the teddy bear containing the child’s ashes and threatened to burn it if the victim continued ignoring him.
Using investigative techniques, deputies located Fountain driving north on Interstate 95 and conducted a traffic stop as he was traveling toward Georgia.
During a search of his vehicle, deputies recovered the stolen teddy bear containing the victim’s son’s ashes, which was later returned to her.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office charged Fountain with aggravated stalking, extortion and hindering communication with law enforcement.
The Flagler Beach Police Department also charged him with unauthorized installation of a tracking device and access to an electronic device without authority.
“The excellent cooperation between the Flagler Beach Police Department and Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is what led to Fountain’s arrest,” Flagler Beach Police Deputy Chief Michael Schoenbrod said. “He was an obvious threat to the victim, and he needed to be taken off the street before he harmed her.”
Sheriff Rick Staly praised the victim for reporting the incidents despite the threats and urged the public to be cautious about who they allow access to their personal information and electronic devices.
Fountain was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held without bond.