LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Authorities in Northern Kentucky have arrested a man from Las Vegas after they say he attempted to kidnap a girl from a high school in the area.
The Boone County Sheriff's office says 18-year-old Benjamin J. Margitza is facing a charge of attempted kidnapping after an incident at Conner High School occurred on Monday.
Margitza flew from Las Vegas to Northern Kentucky late Saturday night, according to police, with the sole intention of meeting up with the juvenile.
The girl, who is a student at Conner High School, reportedly first met Margitza through an online application four years ago.
Authorities said a minimal amount of communication had taken place, but within the past year, Margitza began contacting the victim again while making explicit, sexual statements while obsessing over her with the want of marriage.
The Boone County Sheriff's Office also said in a press release that Margitza knew that the girl attended Conner High School and, without her knowledge, traveled to Northern Kentucky and contacted her in the parking lot at 11 a.m.
At this time, the 18-year-old allegedly grabbed the victim's arm, which prompted her to scream while also trying to escape him.
Police said a male student then overheard the altercation and intervened while not allowing Margitza to follow the girl.
The victim alerted the high school's resource officer of the incident and officers located the suspect in the back of an Uber as he was attempting to leave the campus.
Margitza told detectives that he would have followed the girl into the school if the other student hadn’t stopped him. Additionally, he said that he intended to convince the victim to engage in sexual intercourse once he got her back to his hotel, according to authorities.
The 18-year-old was booked into the Boone County Detention Center without bond and is facing an Attempted Kidnapping charge as well as a Criminal Trespass violation.
