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A 51-year-old woman from North Carolina was rescued by sheriff’s deputies in San Bernardino County, after being kidnapped and tortured. On Saturday, deputies responded to a call about "suspicious suspects" outside a Sephora at The Shoppes at Chino Hills. They detained the woman and a 28-year-old man from New York named Rahson Govantes.
During the investigation, deputies found several fraudulent identification cards, social security cards, and debit cards. The woman revealed that she had been kidnapped by Govantes and an unidentified female suspect. She was forced into a cross-country crime spree to repay debts she owed to the suspects. Authorities reported that during their travels, the suspects tortured the victim by burning her with cigarettes and a curling iron.
Govantes was booked into the West Valley Detention Center on charges including kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated mayhem. Investigators are working to identify the female suspect and have released Govantes’ mugshot to locate any additional victims.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department at 909-364-2000. Anonymous tips can be submitted via the We-Tip Hotline at 800-78CRIME or online at www.wetip.com.