Man's bond set at $100 for allegedly hiding GPS device on estranged wife's car in midst of divorce

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A mother in the middle of a divorce found a tracking device hidden in her truck, and now her estranged husband is accused of planting it.

The woman, who asked to be kept anonymous for her safety, showed ABC13 where the device was hidden.

"He put it right between the trunk and the lining here. So it was tucked in there," she said. "So there is no way I would have ever been able to see it."

Yosemite Mariscal, 33, is charged with unlawful installation of a tracking device.

The two have three small children together, and it was Mariscal's turn to watch the kids when the mother said she was at lunch over the weekend and spotted his truck.

"I saw his car and distinctly recognized the license plate," she said. "Something just didn't settle with me. I said, 'There has to be some way that he is tracking me.'"

She says she confronted him, and he admitted it, claiming it was for his peace of mind.

"I got it in writing," she said. "I told him I was going to call the police for my safety. Once police got there, he decided to lie and said he didn't put a GPS tracker on. There was nothing there. Fortunately for me, I had the text messages and audio recording."

Mariscal was arrested, but it wasn't long before he was out because his bond was set at just $100, according to records. The charge is a misdemeanor, and he does not have a criminal history.

"I can't imagine if it was somebody who was actually violent and would want some sort of revenge on the spouse, how that could play out differently," she said.

She says he told her he made a mistake, and she believes this was a wake-up call for him since he has no prior history with law enforcement. She said while she didn't want to call the police on the father of her children, she knew she had to for her safety and hopes that sharing her story will bring awareness to victims of domestic violence situations.

"Most of us who endure abuse. Most victims don't press charges because of what their family will think, or they'll be made to be the bad guy," she said. "But, I think, ultimately, for the person's safety, you have to report that. They don't have any type of criminal history, and when they go, they're released immediately, and that gives them, if the person is violent, it gives them a chance to possibly hurt the other party."

According to the Houston Area Women's Center, technology has changed abuse. A spokesperson said it gives the abuser the ability to track features on mobile devices, access to browser history on computers, and the ability to cut off/control communication with family and friends.

The Houston Area Women's Center offers free safety planning, and they have a 24-hour hotline at 713-528-2121.

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