By Agencies
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The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that on December 15, 2023, Derrick Toole (DOB 09/27/64) of Woodland Hills, pled guilty to two felony stalking charges.
The crime of stalking occurs when any person willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or willfully and maliciously harasses another person and who makes a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family.
Toole also admitted to the special allegation that the manner in which the crime was carried out indicated planning, sophistication, or professionalism.
In 2020 and 2021, Toole stalked not one, but two different women that he once dated. The first victim received a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Toole in 2019.
After receiving the TRO, Toole continued to contact the victim by calling, texting, and showing up at her home unannounced. He would show up at her new address uninvited, damaged her home door locks so they would not work, vandalized her vehicle, and placed a tracking device in her vehicle. The conduct was reported and documented by the Simi Valley Police Department.
While that case was being reviewed, Toole began dating his second victim. The relationship ended after a few months and the victim began receiving messages from Toole insinuating that he knew her location. After a few days, this victim searched her car and found a location device in the glove compartment.
Another GPS tracker was found on the undercarriage of the car. Toole also showed up uninvited to her home, pasted large posters of their text communication on her garage, shot a BB gun into her front yard in the middle of the night, and overwhelmed the victim with text messages.
He was also seen on a doorbell camera entering the property while the victim was away and driving by her home at all hours of the day and night.
Toole was arrested by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office on July 19, 2021.
Deputy District Attorney Tessa McCarty, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit, prosecuted the case.
“The victims in this case were traumatized by the defendant’s repetitive and relentless stalking behavior,” McCarty said. “It is my hope that this conviction provides them the closure they deserve.”
Toole is scheduled to be sentenced on February 6, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 24 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He’s facing a maximum of three years and eight months prison.
Case: 2020029103
Defendant Information:
Derrick Toole (DOB 09/27/64)
Woodland Hills
Charges pled guilty to:
(2 counts) PC 646.9(a) – Stalking
Special Allegations:
CRC 4.421(a)(8) – The manner in which the crime was carried out indicated planning, sophistication, or professionalism
