Colfax man accused of stalking sentenced to six months jail

CHIPPEWA FALLS — A Colfax man accused of placing a GPS tracker on his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle in February 2023 has been sentenced to serve six months in jail.

Abraham J. Hendricks, 41, 1000 University Ave., pleaded guilty in Chippewa County Court to two counts of misuse of a GPS device and no contest to one count of bail jumping. A more serious charge of felony-level stalking by use of a dangerous weapon — domestic abuse was read-in and dismissed.

Judge Benjamin Lane ordered the six months jail sentence, along with another six months that was imposed-and-stayed. Lane placed Hendricks on probation for three years, and ordered Hendricks to not have any contact with the victim or her residence. He also must pay $2,009 in court costs, fines and restitution.

According to the criminal complaint, a woman and her friend contacted police on Feb. 18, 2023, after the friend found a tracker on the woman’s car. She believed that her ex-boyfriend, Hendricks, had placed it there earlier in the day. Hendricks and the woman have children together, and had met that day.

Hendricks claimed he wanted to look at her damaged bumper and he crawled under the car in the area where the GPS device was later found

The woman told police how Hendricks had harassed her in recent weeks, and that Hendricks had made threatening remarks to her and her friend. The friend told police he heard Hendricks say he “was going to put (the victim) six feet under.”

Because Hendricks kept showing up at the same location, the woman “had been concerned that Hendricks was tracking her. When they returned home, (she) located the tracking device on the car.”

“(The victim) stated she is fearful of Hendricks and does not feel safe in her home, her car, or in public,” the criminal complaint reads. “(She) stated she had not slept well due to Hendricks’ actions.” The woman also provided copies of text messages Hendricks had sent to her.

When police approached Hendricks’ car, he admitted he wanted to see the woman and her new boyfriend. He was placed in handcuffs, and officers located a .40 caliber Glock handgun with a brace that was equipped with a sight. One full magazine was inserted into the gun and a second magazine was stored in the foregrip of the gun. Hendricks admitted to planting the GPS tracker, and he also said he used his daughter’s iPhone to track their location previously.

Court records show that Hendricks was previously convicted of disorderly conduct.