Steve McFadden, the Des Moines bar owner accused of stalking, has been arrested again

bar owner Steve McFadden An ex-girlfriend was arrested Friday for violating a no-contact order involving him and was accused of stalking her.

Polk County Jail records show the 53-year-old was booked without bail at 7:40 p.m. McFadden was A guilty plea is scheduled for Thursday In Polk County District Court one count of stalking, an aggravated misdemeanor, and five counts of unauthorized use of a GPS tracking device, all serious misdemeanors. But the hearing continued because the judge did not have time to read the trial information filed that morning.

Ankeny police said the charges stem from McFadden’s January arrest after he tracked an ex-girlfriend using a global positioning device installed in her car.

McFadden, owner of Tipsy Crow, Grumpy Goat and Maida Mama’s PizzeriaAlso accused of conspiring with Edwin Allen III, Owner of Zora Bar and Rooftop on Ingersoll AvenuePaws and Pints, a Des Moines bar and dog park women’s track.

Allen pleaded not guilty Thursday and declined to comment on the case. McFadden’s lawyer, William Kutmas, said Thursday that his client will plead not guilty.

Both have been at the center of public controversy since their arrests.

McFadden was convicted last year of wounding involving another ex-girlfriend, Victoria Davies, who was 22 when he started dating him and is now 26. In early 2022, he pleaded not guilty to an Alford plea Sufficient evidence to convict him at trial. The count was a misdemeanor, and he was ordered to serve one year of probation. After completing a six-week domestic abuse program, she was released from probation and, under a deferred adjudication, expunged from her record.

More:The woman described being beaten up by the bar owner, saying it was a mistake

Since then, Davis has sought to vacate an injunction he obtained against McFadden last year. She alleged that he was trying to manipulate and control her through the legal system.

The story continues

The two will go on trial on March 28 on charges of violating the restraining order. In an interview last month, Davis described to the watchdog the domestic violence she said she suffered as a result of her relationship with McFadden. He and described another attack She said the incident took place on January 1 in Key West, Florida, where McFadden convinced her to accompany him despite the restraining order. They were arrested on their way back to Des Moines.

The IRS is seeking to recover what it says are unpaid taxes from McFadden. It currently has two federal tax liens worth about $520,000 against its home in West Des Moines, county records show. The home, which was for sale with a multi-million-dollar price tag, is now off the market.

Lee Rudd’s Readers’ Watchdog column helps Iowans get answers and accountability from government officials, the judiciary, businesses and nonprofits. Reach out to him [email protected]at 515-284-8549, on Twitter at @leerood Or on Facebook Facebook.com/readerswatchdog.

This article originally appeared in the Des Moines Register: Steve McFadden, the Des Moines bar owner accused of stalking, has been arrested again