7 September 2023
SALINE COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — A 20-year-old woman says she was held against her will and threatened by a couple in Gypsum. The Saline County Sheriff’s Office investigated and arrested a 50-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman.
According to Undersheriff Brent Melander, the problems started in July. The 20-year-old had been living with the couple when she reported the man for alleged violence against her and against the 57-year-old woman.
Melander said they investigated and planned to arrest the man on suspicion of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated domestic battery in which the victim’s breathing was impeded. But they could not find him, so a judge issued an arrest warrant for him.
This week, the 20-year-old woman went back to the house in Gypsum. She told investigators that the 57-year-old woman assured her it was safe to come by the house to pick up her belongings because the 50-year-old man was not there.
The 20-year-old alleges that when she got to the house, both the man and woman roughed her up and threatened her not to testify against the man. She told investigators that she had to wait until they fell asleep before she could escape and go for help.
Law enforcement officers got a search warrant to go into the home. The undersheriff said they found the man hiding behind a false wall and used pepper spray to get him out.
The sheriff’s office booked the man on suspicion of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated intimidation of a witness, criminal threat, domestic battery, possession of meth, and possession of paraphernalia.
Deputies booked the woman on suspicion of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated intimidation of a witness, and criminal threat and obstruction.
Both alleged suspects are in the Saline County Jail and are expected to appear before a judge on Friday.