An Alberta woman who was allegedly lured to the United States and held against her will for several days has been rescued by police in South Carolina.
RCMP were contacted on Wednesday after the parents of a young woman became concerned about her well-being.
The woman, described as being between 18 and 25 years old, flew to Atlanta, Georgia on May 18 to meet with a man who she had been conversing with over the last few months through various social media sites.
The man allegedly told her that he was a photographer and was looking to hire a model for an upcoming shoot.
Police in South Carolina say she eventually agreed to a sum of $15,000 for the work, that would not involve nudity or sexual behaviour, and that the man agreed to pay for her to fly to the States.
The man picked her up from the airport and police say the pair spent a couple of days at local hotels while scouting out sites for the photo shoot.
The man then allegedly took her to his home, restrained her and sexually assaulted her over several days. Police say he threatened her safety and that of her family in Canada.
Investigators in the United States say she was allowed to call home on her cell phone and on May 24, she talked to her parents while RCMP investigators were present.
RCMP provided US authorities with the woman’s cell phone information and other clues that she passed on during conversations with her family.
The Sheriff’s Office in South Caroline was able to confirm the suspect’s identity and the location of his residence and deputies surrounded the home.
Police say they heard someone running inside the mobile home and a scream just seconds before the woman dove through a glass window into the front yard.
"She sure did," said Creed Hashe, chief deputy in Pickens County, S.C., in a telephone interview on Friday. "The information we were receiving back was bouncing between multiple counties, so there was a delay in locating them because they were moving in a vehicle.”
Officers forced their way into the home and say the suspect barricaded himself into a rear bedroom and put a knife to his own throat to keep police at bay.
He eventually surrendered to authorities and was taken into custody.
Police say a search of the residence turned up evidence that corroborates the woman’s story as well as a quantity of methamphetamine.
Fred Urey, 38, is charged with kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct and drug offences and is being held at the Pickens County Detention Centre.
"When you start talking about charges for kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct, in South Carolina those are extremely serious offences," said Hashe.
The woman was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Police in South Carolina say the woman is doing well considering what she went through and she is on her way back to Alberta.
The woman’s identity is not being released to protect her privacy.
(With the files from The Canadian Press)
