Brent Marsch, a 38-year-old from Winnipeg, is speaking out about his harrowing experience with criminal harassment, false arrests, and the emotional toll it took on him. His ordeal began in 2016 after a Tinder date with Jennifer Plantz, 34. When Marsch met Plantz at Polo Park mall, he realized that her appearance did not match her online photo. Uncomfortable, he ended the date, but the incident was far from over.
Two years later, Plantz sent Marsch messages online and eventually showed up at his apartment in 2019. The confrontation escalated, and Marsch’s nightmare began. Plantz filed a series of 22 false police complaints against him, leading to three arrests. Despite Marsch’s innocence, the police initially failed to investigate Plantz’s behavior.
Last week, Plantz pleaded guilty to criminal harassment and assault, receiving a conditional sentence of 15 months under house arrest. She is also facing three years of unsupervised probation and is ordered to have no contact with Marsch. Provincial Judge Raymond Wyant expressed sympathy for Marsch, stating that he was an innocent victim who had been “put through hell.”
Marsch questions the Winnipeg Police Service’s handling of his case, alleging that they should have investigated Plantz sooner. He hopes that by sharing his story, he can raise awareness about the dangers of online dating and prevent others from experiencing similar ordeals. However, the fear of encountering Plantz still lingers in his mind, as Winnipeg is a small city.