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Santa Barbara Man Arrested for Attempted Kidnapping

Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a Santa Barbara man for an attempted kidnapping that occurred earlier in the week. On Tuesday, November 9 Community Resource Deputy (CRD) Bryan Dickey was notified by Carpinteria Middle School staff of a kidnapping incident that had occurred at approximately 4 p.m. on Monday, November 8, in the 5500-block of Carpinteria Avenue near the entrance to the bicycle path. CRD Dickey spoke with the female juvenile reporting party who provided a thorough account of the incident and a suspect description.

SRD Dickey and patrol deputies conducted a follow-up investigation, identifying the suspect as 51-year-old Elias Maldonado from Santa Barbara and tracking him to a motel in the 5500-block of Carpinteria Avenue. Deputies also learned that Maldonado had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

On Thursday, November 10, at approximately 9:50 a.m., SRD Dickey along with patrol deputies and a Sheriff’s K-9 unit contacted Maldonado at the motel where he was taken into custody after briefly attempting to flee.

Maldonado has been booked at the Main Jail for attempted kidnapping of a child under the age of 14 (felony) and obstructing a peace officer (misdemeanor) as well as his outstanding warrant for domestic violence (felony) and false imprisonment (felony). He is being held on $150,000 bail.