Man allegedly kidnaps boy, forces him to take drugs

A Massachusetts Police Department is reporting they have arrested a man who allegedly kidnapped a boy, threatened him, and made him ingest drugs.

Chief Joseph Solomon reports that the Methuen Police Department arrested a man last week for allegedly kidnapping and providing drugs to a juvenile.

CHARLES W. ANDERSON, AGE 45, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE was arrested and charged with:

Possession of a Class B Substance
Distribution of a Controlled Substance to a Minor
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
Kidnapping

At approximately 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12, Methuen Police detectives assigned to the Narcotics/Gangs and Intelligence Unit were conducting an investigation on the west side of the city.

As a result of that investigation, detectives observed what they recognized as a narcotics transaction and subsequently stopped the vehicle involved and arrested ANDERSON and a 16-year-old male who was inside the vehicle after cocaine was found in their possession.

After further investigation, detectives determined that the 16-year-old male had been reported missing from Manchester, New Hampshire. Through their investigation, the Methuen detectives learned that the boy had been forced to enter ANDERSON’S vehicle and was allegedly threatened with death if he attempted to flee.

After allegedly taking the boy and holding him against his will, ANDERSON allegedly drove to the Methuen area to purchase cocaine, and required the boy to ingest the drug.

“The detectives in charge of this case did an excellent job in identifying this situation and arresting this suspect,” Chief Solomon said. “I am thankful that they were able to conduct a thorough investigation and rescue this boy from an extremely dangerous individual.”

“Every parent’s worst fear is that their child will be taken from them,” Mayor James Jajuga said. “I’m so grateful for the work of our police department, which resulted in a young man being reunited with his family.”

Methuen Police contacted the boy’s parents, as well as the New Hampshire Department of Children and Families and the Manchester Police Department. The boy’s name is not being released.

ANDERSON was held pending arraignment in Lawrence District Court.