Middle Aged Man Arrested for Kidnapping and Assault in Gainesville

Hall County Courthouse

Gainesville, Ga. - Officers in Hall County ended up arresting a man for aggravated assault, kidnapping, and false imprisonment near Lake Lanier in Gainesville.

According to reports, the suspect stopped his car on Flat Creek Road while a 20-year-old woman was walking. He forced the woman into his vehicle using a pair of scissors to intimidate her. He also assaulted her with the scissors which resulted in bruising and deep cuts.

The woman was able to resist long enough to escape the vehicle after some time. With the help of the Oakwood Police Department, the woman and Hall County officers were able to identify the suspect. He was arrested shortly after the incident.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the law behind the offense of kidnapping in today's post.

Kidnapping in Georgia

Kidnapping in Georgia is defined in the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. §16-5-40 as:

A person commits the offense of kidnapping when such person abducts or steals away another person without lawful authority or warrant and holds such other person against his or her will.

The elements of kidnapping as laid out in Georgia law state that just a slight movement is sufficient to constitute a crime. That action is legally referred to as asportation. 

Kidnapping convictions carry substantial penalties. Kidnapping is classified as a felony offense in the state of Georgia The consequences for kidnapping a victim who is 14 years or older include a prison term between ten and twenty years. However, if the victim is under 14 years old, then the penalty is elevated to either a life sentence or a prison term between twenty years but less than life with probation for life after getting out of prison. A suspect will receive life in prison or the death penalty if the kidnapping was for ransom or if the victim received bodily injury.

Repeat offenders tend to receive even longer prison sentences. Furthermore, a fourth conviction will be a felony conviction that carries a penalty of life in prison with no chance of parole.

Practice Note

Call our offices now if you or a loved one has been arrested in the state of Georgia.