Philadelphia Man Who Scarred, Nearly Blinded Ex-Girlfriend in Public Chemical Attack Convicted at Trial

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Victor Ortiz, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted Friday at trial of stalking, seriously injuring, and permanently disfiguring a woman with whom he had a previous relationship.

On the morning of May 4, 2022, the defendant had pursued his ex-girlfriend as she walked to her office in Philadelphia. Before she reached the building, the defendant threw soda ash, a caustic substance, on the victim’s face and torso. His attack temporarily blinded her in the left eye and caused severe pain and permanent scarring on her body.

Investigators subsequently found that the defendant 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, the defendant was caught on camera attempting to install a second GPS device on the victim’s vehicle in July 2022.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ incarceration.

“Victor Ortiz needed to take ‘no’ for answer,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “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. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement colleagues to get justice for stalking victims and take the dangerous offenders who terrorized them off the street.”

“HSI is dedicated to protecting individuals from dangerous predators such as Victor Ortiz,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Sara Bay. “Our excellent partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania allows us to hold these criminals responsible for their crimes and obtain justice for their victims.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Miller and Angella Middleton.