Sarpy County man who stalked ex-girlfriend with tracking devices sentenced to prison

SARPY COUNTY, Neb. (WOWT) – A victim living with anxiety and wondering how her scary ex-boyfriend kept finding her can now sleep a little easier.

“(He would follow me) when I went to Walmart to get groceries or to the park with my kids,” said the victim, who asked to remain anonymous. “It was there.”

A Sarpy County Sheriff’s investigator found an electronic monitoring system housed in a magnetized metal box under the woman’s car. The prosecutor filed a felony charge, and convicted pervert Kenneth Small chose not to ask the judge for leniency, so did his attorney.

“He is remorseful for the fear his actions caused the victim,” the lawyer said at Monday’s hearing.

Sarpy County District Judge George Thompson sentenced Small to one year in prison for the felony harassment charge, plus about nine months in prison for other misdemeanors, such as violating a protection order.

“You can get a prison sentence for stalking and stalking someone without their consent,” prosecutor Rachel Bolton said. “It is a crime, and if there is a protection order or you have a prior stalking conviction, it becomes a felony.”

Bolton said Nebraska’s stalking laws are weak on penalties for the use of tracking devices, but the victim was still grateful that the punishment included some jail time.

“He is getting help and trying to improve the situation,” the victim said. “He’ll stay there for a while, realize what he’s done, and at least pay for what the judge thinks is good time.”

Small, who has already received credit for serving several months in prison, could be released from prison in less than six months. The victim told 6 NEWs he hasn’t felt the need to check under his car for any devices since he was locked out.

As part of the sentence, Small was sentenced to one month in prison for installing a lock on the victim’s gas meter and shutting off her hot water until the lock was released.