Axel J. Betancourt By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — A Williams Delight man was arrested on Friday night for allegedly kidnapping a 16-year-old minor and holding her against her will at knifepoint, V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Toby Derima has announced.
The suspect, 19-year-old Axel J. Betancourt, was arrested at 9:53 p.m. Friday and charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment.
According to Mr. Derima, citing a police report, the 16-year-old female minor reported that earlier that day, Betancourt, who is a friend of the victim’s ex-boyfriend, offered her a ride home from school. However, Betancourt left the school campus and started driving in the opposite direction from where the victim lives. When she started questioning why Betancourt was driving in that direction, he then held the victim at knifepoint. The vicim further stated that Betancourt took her back to the campus after she started pleading with him to take her back.
When contacted by police, Betancourt admitted to being in the company of the minor and that he had a knife, Mr. Derima said.
Unable to make bail of $10,000, Betancourt was remanded to the Golden Grove Detention Center pending his advisement hearing.
