Kidnapped 14-year-old Found in Upstate New York, Homeless Man in Custody

The search for a missing teenage girl from Maryland ended in the Update New York where police arrested a man accused of taking her across state lines.

Authorities allege that 24-year-old Omar Gutierrez-Sanchez forcibly transported the 14-year-old from Baltimore into New York. Described as a homeless man based in Virginia, Gutierrez-Sanchez reportedly ignored repeated requests from the child and her family to either return her home or allow her to leave, officials said.

On Thursday, officers located the suspect and the girl in the City of Kingston. Gutierrez-Sanchez was taken into custody and charged with felony kidnapping along with unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child, both misdemeanors. Law enforcement noted that more charges may be filed in both Kingston and Baltimore as the investigation develops.

Gutierrez-Sanchez was arraigned and later booked into Ulster County Jail on $200,000 cash bail or bond.

No motive has been identified at this time. Police confirmed the suspect and the teen had met before, but clarified there was no family tie or significant personal relationship.

“This is an active, ongoing criminal investigation. If you have any information concerning the incident, you are asked to contact the Kingston Police Department at (845) 331-8404 or email Michael Defrance at [mdefrance@kingston-ny.gov](mailto:mdefrance@kingston-ny.gov),” the City of Kingston Police Department stated in a press release.

No further information is available at this time.

Kidnapped 14-year-old Found in Upstate New York, Homeless Man in Custody