BOONE COUNTY, Ken. (WLWT) – A Nevada man was arrested Monday on suspicion that he flew across the country in an attempt to kidnap a 16-year-old girl in her school’s parking lot, according to Kentucky’s Boone County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said Benjamin J. Margitza, 18, of Las Vegas, flew from Las Vegas to Northern Kentucky on Saturday night to try to make contact with the girl. Margitza and the victim first met online using a defunct app about four years ago, where “minimal amount of communication had taken place,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Margitza began contacting the teen using Instagram within the past year and made explicit, sexual statements, deputies said. At one point, Margitza became so obsessed with the teen that he told her he wanted to marry her.
Investigators said the teen took steps to block Margitza.
The teen was not aware that Margitza knew she attended Conner High School and she also did not know that he had flown across the country to see her, authorities said.
“She was noticeably shaken, very, very upset,” Lt. Philip Ridgell said.
On Monday, Margitza found the teen and grabbed her arm in the parking lot of Conner High School. The teen screamed and began to run away from Margitza, but he continued to follow her, deputies said. A male student had heard the teen scream and stepped in to protect her by not allowing Margitza to continue to follow her.
“He didn’t ask questions, he just acted and we’re very thankful that he did,” Ridgell said.
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