Miami man arrested for driving with missing Coral Springs teen to North Carolina

NASHVILLE, NC — A man is facing charges after after he was found traveling with a missing Florida teenager and carrying drugs, according to North Carolina authorities.

Alejandro Vazquez, 39, was charged with transporting a minor across state lines without permission and narcotics violations.

According to arrest documents, Nash County Sheriff's deputies conducted a vehicle stop at 12:04 a.m. on Tuesday involving a white 2016 Audi Q5 with Florida plates due to a traffic violation.

With consent granted by the driver, later identified as Vazquez, deputies searched the vehicle. Inside the driver's door and center console, they discovered two vape cartridge THC pens.

Further investigations revealed that the female passenger, 16, had been reported missing by the Coral Springs Police Department five hours prior to the traffic stop.

The teenager was transported to Juvenile Services, where a juvenile petition was obtained. A secure custody order was granted and the teen was subsequently transferred to the Wake County Juvenile Detention Center in Raleigh, NC, according to documents. Plans were made for the family to retrieve her from Florida.

According to officials, Vazquez had no prior relationship with the teenager's family and no authorization to transport her across state lines. 

As a result, Vazquez was booked into the Nash County Detention Center in Nashville, NC, initially without bond. However, during his first court appearance on Thursday, a $500,000 secured bond was set for the transportation of the juvenile charge and a separate $5,000 secured bond was assigned for the narcotics violation.

The Nash County Sheriff's Office, in coordination with the Coral Springs Police Department, will continue to investigate the case.