Owen Lars Anderson, a 37-year-old Virginia resident, has been arrested in the U.S. on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, and the sexual assault of a minor, The Washington Post reports. His victim, Jonaija Walker—now 19—was found by police in May of this year. She had gone missing from her home in Milwaukee on June 23, 2022, at the age of 15. According to investigators, Anderson abducted her and took her to his home in Blacksburg, where he held her captive for nearly four years. Walker herself contacted the police in May to report the abduction. She stated that she had met the accused online when she was 12; after she complained to him about her parents, he began pressuring her to send intimate photos and subsequently used them to blackmail her. According to the young woman, Anderson did not allow her to attend school during her captivity and subjected her to physical and sexual abuse. The man faces 60 charges across Virginia and Wisconsin, including kidnapping, the sexual exploitation of a minor, child abuse, and possession of child pornography. He remains in custody.
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