A 24-year-old Dowagiac man has been arrested after holding another man against his will.
The victim, a 22-year-old man from Lawrence, told officers at he had been held against his will at a home in the 200 block of Oak Street in Dowagiac.
The victim said he met the suspect, who he was previously acquainted with, at the suspect’s residence last Friday, Feb. 24. A disagreement over some missing money occurred between the two and the suspect threatened the victim with a knife and shotgun.
The victim was forced to stay at the residence and not allowed to leave for the remainder of the weekend, accoridng to a news release from the Dowagiac Police Department.
While at the residence the victim was assaulted several times by the suspect and continued to be threatened with the shotgun. The victim was eventually allowed to leave the residence and threatened with violence if he did not return with money for the suspect, the news release stated.
The victim sustained several injuries from the incident however did not require medical treatment.
On Thursday, Dowagiac Police located the suspect and took him into custody. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s residence. Inside, police found several pieces of evidence connected to the incident. They also located both marijuana and powder cocaine packaged for sale and found the shotgun used in the incident, as well as an assault rifle, according to the news release.
Dowagiac Police arrested the suspect on several preliminary charges, including:
- Unlawful Confinement
- 2 Counts of Felonious Assault
- Extortion
- Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Deliver
- Possession of Cocaine
- Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Deliver
- Possession of Marijuana
- Delivery of Marijuana
- Armed Robbery
- Maintaining a Drug House
- 2 Counts of Felony Firearm
Anybody with information about this incident is asked to contact Dowagiac Police at (269) 782-9743, of the Cass County Tip Line at (800) 462-9328.
