OKEECHOBEE — A local man was charged with kidnapping  this week. Justin Mann, 27 was arrested April 30 by Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Huffman and charged with kidnapping, use or display of a firearm by a convicted felon and tampering with evidence in a first degree felony proceeding.

Detective Jose Garduno received a text message from an unknown person telling him Mann was holding a woman against her will. She said he was armed and dangerous and recently left Kissimmee River Estates. A BOLO was issued for a white SUV. Garduno immediately contacted his lieutenant so the information could be sent out to all cars on road patrol.

As Huffman passed over the Kissimmee River Bridge, he saw the vehicle the woman had described on a dirt road leading to the bridge. Huffman and several other deputies performed a traffic stop and quickly detained both Mann and a second person, whose vehicle was parked next to Mann’s. A woman was located in the front passenger seat of Mann’s vehicle and was identified as the woman who was reported kidnapped.

The woman told deputies she had been with Mann for two days, and he would not let her leave, because he thought she was planning to “set him up with the cops.” She said she did not attempt to leave, because he had shot at her in the past and struck her in the face with a firearm. She told deputies Mann was armed with “a long black gun, a small kid-sized rifle, and a bow in a case.” She also said he had a 9mm pistol. She was sure of this because he had pistol whipped her with it. She said she knew he had an assault rifle but did not know where that was.

The report notes Mann is involved in another kidnapping case and will be charged with two counts aggravated assault, one count aggravated battery, one count armed burglary and one count kidnapping in that case.

His bond was set at $200,000.