SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. (TCD) — A 46-year-old man pleaded guilty to kidnapping a 9-year-old girl from a campsite in upstate New York and holding her for ransom before she was rescued by state police.
In a statement, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office announced Craig Ross Jr. entered the plea Wednesday, Feb. 21, to charges of first-degree kidnapping and predatory sexual assault against a child. He reportedly admitting to kidnapping the 9-year-old and having sex with her. Prosecutors are recommending Ross be sentenced to 47 years to life in prison, as well as a 100-year order of protection issued against him on behalf of the young victim.
The district attorney’s office indicted him in November on nine counts, including first-degree kidnapping, four counts of predatory sexual assault against a child, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. He pleaded not guilty at the time.
The 9-year-old victim disappeared from Moreau Lake State Park on the evening of Sept. 30 when she went for a bike ride by herself. She and her friends recently completed a few laps around the park, but she wanted to do one more, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a speech at the time. Her parents grew concerned when she didn’t come back after about 30 minutes, so they contacted New York State Police. Troopers and other law enforcement officials arrived at the park and began searching for her using drones, an underwater rescue team, and ground patrol.
A break in the case occurred at 4:20 a.m. on Oct. 2 when a car pulled up to a mailbox at the victim’s house, which was being guarded by State Police troopers. The officers went to the mailbox and found a ransom note inside.
Investigators were ultimately able to identify Ross as the suspect using fingerprint analysis from the letter because he got a DWI in 1999. Officials went to Ross’ mother’s house, and she told detectives Ross lived in a camper behind her residence.
State Police troopers made a “dynamic entry,” which is a type of tactical maneuver, into the camper and found Ross. He was arrested after putting up some resistance. The girl was discovered inside a cabinet.
Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen said in her statement, “With the guilty plea today of Craig N. Ross, Jr., the victim and their family were able to hear the defendant admit his guilt to these heinous and despicable acts. His admission of guilt ends the question of who was responsible for the kidnapping that rallied our entire community together to assist in locating her. He will serve decades in prison before any parole consideration is available to him.”
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