Navy Hospital Employee Pleads Guilty to Stalking Military Service Member

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 13, 2023

SAN DIEGO – Jonathan Sandoval, a former contract employee at a San Diego Navy hospital, pleaded guilty in federal court today to stalking his former co-worker who is a United States military service member.  

According to his plea agreement, Sandoval intentionally harassed and intimated the military service member through several unwanted acts. On March 8, 2022, Sandoval rifled through the victim’s office and belongings while disregarding her requests to stop. On that same day, while in her office, Sandoval displayed a knife to the victim. Sandoval also sent the victim messages through internet messaging platforms even after the victim told him to stop sending her messages.

Sandoval admitted that he installed a hidden camera in the victim’s office without her knowledge and recorded video of the victim undressing and changing clothes in her office. And then, on March 15, 2022, Sandoval emailed the victim nude images he had taken without her knowledge and wrote in the email: “This is you naked. I’ll make sure and send all your videos of you changing. Have fun at work.”

“Stalking, harassing and surveilling someone with a secret camera is an extreme violation of privacy that causes severe distress in victims,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting victims of stalking and holding perpetrators accountable for malicious activity over the internet and in person.”  Grossman thanked the prosecution team and Naval Criminal Investigative Service for their excellent work on this case.

“Mr. Sandoval deserves to be held fully accountable for his reprehensible actions to harass, surveil, and intimidate a service member,” said Special Agent in Charge Joshua Flowers of the NCIS Southwest Field Office. “NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain committed to fully investigating and rooting out criminality within the ranks that threatens the safety of the Department of the Navy family.”

If you or someone you know has experienced cyberstalking by an active duty service member, please contact the following anonymous tip lines: https://www.ncis.navy.mil/Resources/NCIS-Tips/

(Navyand Marines), https://www.cid.army.mil/report-a-crime.html (Army), and https://www.osi.af.mil/Submit-a-Tip/ (Air Force), or call the Department of Defense Hotline at (800) 424-9098. Victims of cyberstalking by non-active-duty members should contact local law enforcement or the FBI field office.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 23cr00178-RSH                                

Jonathan Sandoval                                          Age: 30                                   Calexico, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Stalking – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2261A(2)(B)

Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine

AGENCY

Naval Criminal Investigative Service

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.