Michael Webb To Plead Guilty To Kidnapping 8-Year-Old Girl In Fort Worth
UPDATE June 19, 2019, 9:45 a.m. - At the request of both parties, the hearing has been pushed to next Wednesday, June 26.
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Michael Webb, the man charged with aggravated kidnapping after allegedly snatching an 8-year-old girl who was later found safe, is going to plead guilty to kidnapping on Wednesday, according to court documents.
Webb, 51, faces anywhere from 20 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Webb allegedly kidnapped the child as she walked with her mother Saturday night, May 18, in a residential Fort Worth neighborhood. The child was found early the next day at a WoodSpring Suites motel in nearby Forest Hill.
Forest Hill Police were called after someone alerted the motel clerk that they thought they'd seen the suspect on the property and that he had a girl with him. Officers say when they arrived Webb was "less than cooperative" and only opened the door to the room after they'd knocked several times.
After questioning Webb for several minutes officers were allowed inside the room where they spoke with Webb more and ultimately left after looking over "the areas of the room that appeared to be large enough to conceal the missing child" and not seeing the little girl.
Investigators say the officers were also interested in any vehicle that Webb might be driving but were told by the clerk "there were none associated with his room." Before leaving officers checked the parking lot and said they didn't see any vehicles that matched the picture of the suspect vehicle that Fort Worth police posted on social media.
After receiving another tip, Forest Hill officers returned at around 2:00 a.m. Sunday --about two hours after the first visit.
Members of the Fort Worth Police Department arrived shortly after and found the girl inside the motel room with Webb.
Forest Hill Police Chief Dan Dennis says the department is looking into the officers' handling of the earlier call.
Webb was initially in Fort Worth police custody, but was transferred to FBI custody days later.