Guilty! Philly Man Permanently Disfigures Ex-GF In Soda Ash Attack: Usdoj

A Philadelphia man was convicted on Friday, Sept. 6 after a trial of stalking his ex — a federal employee — and burning her face with a corrosive substance, nearly blinding her in one eye while she was on her way to work, federal authorities said.

William J. Green Jr. Federal Building
Photo Credit: *Google Maps (streetview)*

Jon Craig

09/10/2024 11:46 a.m.

Victor Ortiz, 47, of Philadelphia, threw a "caustic substance" — soda ash — at her face and torso, on May 4, 2022, according to U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero.

His attack temporarily blinded her in the left eye and caused severe pain and permanent scarring on her body, Romero said.

Investigators found that Ortizz had attached a GPS device to the victim’s vehicle so that he could monitor her location and follow her. After law enforcement officials discovered the device, Ortiz was caught on camera attempting to install a second GPS device on the victim’s vehicle — two months after the initial attack — in July 2022, Romero said.

“Victor Ortiz needed to take ‘no’ for an answer,” Romero said. “But rather than moving on when a relationship ended, he targeted, stalked, and viciously assaulted his ex-partner, causing horrendous physical pain and emotional trauma."

Ortiz is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

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