New Jersey man's Christmas Day kidnapping scheme prevented by Trenton police, victim's family
(CBS DETROIT) - Police in Trenton, Michigan, as well as the FBI, arrested a New Jersey man accused of planning to abduct an ex-girlfriend.
New court documents show he was following her for weeks.
Mike Hawkins, Trenton's Chief of Police, thanks the victim's family for stepping in. Their quick thinking on Christmas Day helped avert a potentially dangerous situation.
"Without them coming forward and sharing information, this could've taken a tragic turn," Hawkins said.
George Mandarakas, 36, is accused of planning to abduct his ex-girlfriend on Christmas Day.
According to a criminal complaint, police found a stash of items like a satellite cell phone, guns, knives, and handcuffs in his rental car on the scene.
Documents show that the couple met at the University of Notre Dame in 2019, where the suspect claimed to be a student. In October 2023, the victim found out Mandarakas was actually in his 30s. That's when she broke things off.
Over the next several weeks, he's accused of stalking the victim and even driving from his home in New Jersey to Metro Detroit.
"First off, I think we need to honor everybody's privacy, everybody's wants. When someone tells you "no," that means no in any situation," Hawkins said.
After a barrage of text messages and even a failed proposal, documents show a friend of Mandarakas notified her that his friend had potentially dangerous plans.
A family friend, who is a private detective, advised the victim to do a sweep of her car. That's when she found a small device under the bumper and when it was apparent the authorities needed to get involved.
"The fact that he's crossing state lines multiple times, we reached out to the FBI to use their resources in case they can cast a wide net to help us out," Hawkins said.
On Christmas Day, the family of the victim drove the victim's car to a church off Third Street in Trenton.
New Jersey man's Christmas Day kidnapping scheme prevented by Trenton police, victim's family by CBS Detroit on Scribd
Court records show that within minutes, the suspect showed up. Mandarakas was stopped by police and questioned why he was at the church. Records state he told authorities he was at that church because his former girlfriend of four years typically attended it.
"No means no. If you are told to stay away, if you are told no, you've got to do that and honor people's privacy and space," Hawkins said.
Being aware of your surroundings and keeping police in the loop can make all the difference in your safety, authorities say.
After a search of the suspect's car, documents show Mandarakas had a map of how long it'd take to sail from Florida to Cuba and from New Jersey to Morocco.
For Trenton police, stalking cases aren't new to them; they just want people to take heed of their suspicions.
"There are also personal protection orders people can get through the county. I think they [family] contacted us originally at the right time," Hawkins said.
Mandarakas is now in custody, facing federal charges. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.