Deputies: Montcalm Co. hostage uses gaming console to get help
EUREKA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A Montcalm County man has been charged with unlawful imprisonment after allegedly holding his girlfriend against her will.
The Montcalm County Sheriff’s Office says it was contacted around noon on Monday after friends and family of a 20-year-old woman said they received messages that she needed help and her boyfriend wouldn’t let her leave.
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Deputies responded to a home on West Harlow Road near Youngman Road. After no one answered the door, and out of concern for the health and safety of the reported victim, deputies forced their way in and found the man and woman.
“Once separated, the woman described how she had expressed her wishes to leave for over a week to her boyfriend, but he refused to allow her to go,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “When she attempted to leave, she was not allowed to do so. The woman’s cell phone was damaged and non-functioning, so she was not able to call for help, forcing her to use a video gaming system for communication.”
Christian Clevenger, a 22-year-old from Greenville, was arrested and arraigned on one count of unlawful imprisonment, according to deputies. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine up to $20,000.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Clevenger remained in the Montcalm County jail on a $250,000 bond.
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