Man charged after allegedly kidnapping teen girl he met on dating app

A 51-year-old man has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and statutory rape after authorities alleged he transported a 15-year-old girl he met on a dating app from Connecticut to his home in North Carolina.

The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office said Justin Newman was taken into custody on April 28 after deputies located the missing teenager at his residence in Ocean Isle Beach. 

The girl had previously been reported missing by police in Middletown, Connecticut, on April 9.

According to investigators, Newman met the teenager around three months earlier on the social networking app Skout, which allows users to connect through chats and livestreams. 

Prosecutors said during his first court appearance that the two had been communicating online before she traveled out of state.

Authorities allege that Newman arranged for a ride-share vehicle to take the girl from Middletown to a train station, where she then boarded a train to North Carolina. 

Law enforcement officials later tracked her movements as part of a coordinated investigation between Connecticut and North Carolina authorities.

Middletown police eventually contacted the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office after identifying a possible location. Deputies responded and found the girl at Newman’s home on April 27.

Newman was arrested and charged with first-degree kidnapping and statutory rape of a child under the age of 15. 

Additional charges were later filed, including further counts of statutory rape and sexual offenses involving a minor.

He is currently being held at the Brunswick County Detention Center without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 14.

Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and noted that additional charges may still be filed as more evidence is reviewed.