WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — A West Des Moines man is facing a charge for allegedly putting an Apple AirTag in his ex-wife’s vehicle in order to track her location.

Joseph Gentile, 43, was booked into the Polk County Jail Monday afternoon on a charge of trespass 1st offense-camera/electronic surveillance devices. According to the criminal complaint in the case, Gentile’s ex-wife discovered the AirTag on February 19, wrapped in duct tape and tucked into the jack compartment of her vehicle.

Investigators learned the AirTag was linked to Gentile’s phone number. The complaint said Gentile claimed that “the AirTag was for work, to track my iPad.”

Police said Gentile knowingly trespassed inside his ex-wife’s vehicle to place the Apple AirTag in order to surveil her location.

Online court records show Gentile and the victim were granted a divorce in August 2021.

A preliminary hearing for Gentile has been scheduled for March 17th.