California man mounts criminal defense for kidnapping assault

A California man is facing criminal charges after he reportedly kidnapped his girlfriend, holding her against her will for more than a week and sexually assaulting her. The man will be forced to mount a criminal defense against the allegations, which include claims of kidnapping, along with attempted murder, domestic assault, false imprisonment and violating a restraining order.

Family members of the defendant argue that the woman in the case, age 19, has fabricated the story in order to confound legal processes related to child custody. The man was trying to gain legal custody of his son at the time of the alleged incident. They claim that the woman came to the house on her own, attempting to pick up some of her belongings. She then called officers after the man was unsuccessful at forcing the woman to leave.

The defendant is being held on a $1 million bail, according to information from state correctional facilities.

Official reports show that the woman alleges that she was taken against her will on Christmas. That woman’s mother is said to have witnessed the kidnapping and assault, but she failed to contact authorities because she thought the defendant might harm the victim and the couple’s child. Investigators located the woman inside a California apartment, where she was apparently hiding from her son’s father. The woman alleges that she was beaten and choked to the point of losing consciousness. Officers say the woman may have ended up dead if she was not rescued by deputies in early January.

Information about the man’s upcoming legal proceedings has not yet been released. Even though he has been arrested on serious charges of domestic assault, he is not presumed guilty simply because he was taken into custody. Defendants in such sensitive cases may benefit from the ongoing support of a criminal defense attorney, who can help them learn more about their legal options and rights in alleged domestic violence, sexual assault and kidnapping cases.

Source: KTLA 5, “Palmdale Man Charged After Allegedly Kidnapping, Assaulting Girlfriend” John A. Moreno, Jan. 05, 2014