Jackson Police Department received a tip about a possible meth house in Napoleon Township. So on Tuesday, October 27th, at about 2 pm, investigators with the Jackson Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) arrived at the house on South Street and knocked on the door. But no one answered.
Unable to enter the property without a warrant, and without someone to let them in, the officers scoured the outside of the building. And found enough clues to provide them with probable cause to enter the house on suspicion of meth production.
She was trapped inside the house with her boyfriend
But while the officers were waiting for their warrant to come through, they were contacted via text by a woman who claimed to be held against her will inside the very home that they had surrounded. According to the information she was providing, she was trapped inside the house with her boyfriend who refused to let her leave.
Officers decided to treat the incident as a hostage situation, and continued to announce themselves outside, asking that the people inside exit the building. But it was hours before they got cooperation. At 5:30, realizing that the officers weren’t going to leave any time soon, the man finally walked out of the house, bringing his girlfriend with him.
Officers arrested the man and took the woman to the police station for her witness statement. The man, whose name has not yet been released, is being held in the Jackson County Jail. He is charged with possession of methamphetamine and maintaining and manufacturing methamphetamine, both felonies under Michigan law.
The woman has not been charged, and was released by police after she provided her statement. With regards to the hostage charges, nothing has been formally entered into the record, and the case is still considered to be under investigation.
While possession of meth, and maintaining and producing meth are both very serious crimes in Michigan and could result in decades behind bars for the accused, holding someone hostage (also known as unlawful restraint or false imprisonment) can get you an additional 15 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000.