Photos for Headline Surfer / TOP: James Kleeman, 65, a part-time transport deputy for the Volusia Coiunty Sheriff's office was arrested Wednesday, March 8, 2025, for allegedly stalking and tracking his ex-girlfriend with an AirTag as shown above. He was was placed on administrative leave without pay after the arrest and terminated the next day. LEFT: Kleeman's VSO-issued vehicle.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DELAND, Fla. -- VSO detectives have arrested a part-time prisoner transport deputy for stalking and tracking his ex with an AirTag.
James Kleeman, 65, was arrested Wednesday night, hours after the victim reported the incident to the Sheriff’s Office earlier in the day.
Kleeman, originally hired in November 2012, was suspended without pay Wednesday and then terminated Thursday.
The criminal allegations against Kleeman were summarized by a VSO PIO in a press release. Sheriff Mike Chitwood did not release a statement on the situation at hand, though his name was in the header posted in social media.
The victim reported she was in a relationship with Kleeman for three years until February of this year. She indicated she’d found AirTags in her vehicle and her adult daughter’s vehicle dating back to 2025.
In February, after their breakup, the victim found an additional AirTag on her vehicle and found Ring video of Kleeman crawling underneath her daughter’s vehicle at her home. She said Kleeman had been showing up at her location on multiple occasions since their break-up, including in his assigned Volusia Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
In February, after their breakup, the victim found an additional AirTag on her vehicle and found Ring video of Kleeman crawling underneath her daughter’s vehicle at her home. She said Kleeman had been showing up at her location on multiple occasions since their break-up, including in his assigned Volusia Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
While the victim was giving her statement to VSO detectives in DeLand on Wednesday, Kleeman even arrived in the parking lot and stopped behind the victim’s vehicle.
Detectives found AirTags on both the victim’s vehicle and her daughter’s.
Kleeman admitted placing the AirTags but denied following the victim.
He was placed under arrest on charges of stalking and unlawful installation of a tracking device. Kleeman was being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail, but released at his first appearance on bond under strict conditions, including a "no contact" order and required to wear a GPS monitoring device.
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