Statesville Police Arrest Four Kidnapping Suspects After Teen Taken To Florida
STATESVILLE, N.C. — Four people are facing multiple charges in connection to kidnapping after a 15-year-old girl was taken to Florida from Statesville, according to police.
The investigation began on March 13 when Statesville Police were dispatched to a North Center Street home regarding a 15-year-old girl running away from home. Officers searched the surrounding area along with frequent areas the teen might go to but were unable to locate her.
The Statesville Police Investigations Division continued the investigation, working with personnel from the Davie County Department of Social Services which helped provide multiple leads. The information given helped lead investigators to believe that the teen was taken to a home in Pasco County, Florida by 77-year-old Paul Wayne Thompson, police say.
According to a news release, Thompson has no family relationship with the teenage girl.
Investigators also determined additional family members of Thompson’s, who are not related to the juvenile, helped the her in running away and obstructed the efforts of the police to find the teen.
On March 17, investigators contacted deputies at Pasco County Sheriff’s Office in Florida and provided deputies with a possible location of the minor. Deputies were able to locate Paul Thompson, of Statesville, at the address and determined that the girl was located inside the home.
After deputies located the teen, Thompson was arrested. Officials then man arrangements to get the teen transported back to Statesville.
Thompson is facing charges for felony abduction of a child, felony conspiracy to abduct a child, transporting the child to Florida, and misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, according to police. Thompson is currently being held in the Pasco County Jail, awaiting extradition to Statesville.
Statesville police say Laurie Faye Thompson, 43, Skyler Patrick Haneline, 24, both of Olin and Lewis Leslie Lyons, 45, from Statesville, were charged with felony conspiracy to abduct a child, misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and resist, obstruct and delay. The three suspects were arrested, and each received a $5,000 secured bond.
