Accused Kidnapper Arrives In Philadelphia
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A two-vehicle FBI caravan, arriving at noontime brought accused kidnapper Delvin Barnes from a Virginia prison to the U.S. Courthouse in Philadelphia to face federal charges in the alleged abduction of 22-year-old Carlesha Gaither, seen on video, being dragged off a Germantown street and thrown into a car. Her nearly three-day ordeal ended last Wednesday when federal agents swarmed around the vehicle in Jessup, Maryland, rescuing Carlesha -- and arresting Barnes for the kidnapping and the attempted rape of a Virginia teenager who was set afire during that attack.
Barnes is now being held at the Federal Detention Center as federal prosecutors build their case, preparing to present evidence to a grand jury.
Prison officials weren't available to indicate if he will be kept in isolation under suicide watch as he was in the Virginia facility.
In the week since Carlesha's family and investigators celebrated first word of her safe return, the same investigators have attempted to determine if Barnes might be linked to other attacks or disappearances here.
Sources now say the suspect's DNA sample has been entered into a DNA base by Philadelphia police and no matches have been found to any crimes in the city. Reports of missing women are also under review in Philadelphia and several other jurisdictions.
Sources tell CBS 3 the Federal Detention Center, where Barnes is now being held, could be one of Barnes' final stops on the road to justice and he may not be returned to Virginia. Those sources indicate a grand jury here could consider charges in both the Philadelphia kidnapping and the Virginia attack. If indicted and convicted, Barnes could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
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