LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — A man police say sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and kept her captive for three days has been brought back to Luzerne County to face charges.
Investigators believe the motive behind the girl's abduction was sex trafficking.
John Watson, 46, of Luzerne was arraigned in Plains Township on Tuesday.
Watson has picked up by U.S. Marshals living on a train in Cleveland, Ohio, before Christmas. Now he's being brought back to face child sex charges.
"Judge Spagnola arraigned Mr. Watson both on the charges from the child abduction from October and also theft charges from Wilkes-Barre," said Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce.
Investigators say Watson abducted a 14-year-old girl in Luzerne, sexually assaulted her, and kept her captive for three days, after which she was able to call 911 and be rescued from a hotel in Plains Township.
"Our office is relieved to have him back in Luzerne County where he can face the charges. It was a roller coaster and trying to obtain his, not only his location but then to get him arrested and incarcerated. You know, we're happy to have him back here where he can face charges for certain in Luzerne County," Sanguedolce said.
During a news conference last month, investigators said Watson will also be facing federal child porn charges, and they believe the motive behind the girl's abduction was sex trafficking.
Watson was returned to face this slew of charges on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
"It's somewhat appropriate that we're able to bring him back to Luzerne County, not only because of the type of charges, obviously, we have, unfortunately, a lot of these types of cases. But as I've said previously, these are some of the most horrific allegations that I've seen in my 20 years in the district attorney's office. So I don't know if you would call that type of poetic justice. But from our perspective, you know, it's a coincidence. We're just happy to have the defendant in custody."
Watson is locked up in Luzerne County without bail.
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