A Fort Collins man is facing felony kidnapping and sexual assault charges after police say he held a juvenile who had been missing from Missouri since December against her will.
Last Friday, the Fort Collins Police Cyber Crimes Unit received a tip from a Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force that a missing girl might be in Fort Collins, according to a release from Fort Collins Police Services. Detectives came to believe the girl might be at a home in the 800 block of Warren Landing and obtained a warrant to search that home.
Fort Collins detectives and SWAT officers arrived to search the home and contacted Maximilian Bondrescu, 44, who denied that there was an underage girl in the house, according to the release. However, when officers searched the home, they found the missing girl inside, police said.
She told police that she was being held against her will, though sometimes Bondrescu would take her out and make her work for his snow removal company, FoCo Sno GO, the release states. While shoveling snow, she was required to wear a mask to conceal her age and identity, she told police.
Through the investigation, officers learned that Bondrescu rented a vehicle to drive to Missouri, where he met the girl and drove her to Colorado, according to police. The release did not say when this occurred, how the two connected or offer any additional details, and police said that due to statutory protections because of the nature of the charges, they cannot release any more information.
Bondrescu, who is a registered sex offender, has been booked into the Larimer County Jail facing felony charges of second-degree kidnapping; sexual assault on a child as a pattern of abuse; second-degree assault; and false imprisonment – minor locked in a room.
He also faces misdemeanor charges of failure to register as a sex offender, child abuse, harboring a minor and obstructing police.
He is being held on $500,000 bond and is due in 8th Judicial District Court in Fort Collins on May 5.
As police continue to investigate, they are asking any customers who may have used FoCo Sno GO, or anyone with information about the case, to call Detective David Guy at 970-416-2026.
“The importance of the work done by the Fort Collins Police Cyber Crime Unit, and similar units across the nation play a vital role in helping to keep our children safe,” Fort Collins Police Assistant Chief Kristy Volesky said in a release. “Had it not been for the diligent work of these detectives, the juvenile could have continued to be victimized. Our investigators will now work closely with the District Attorney’s Office to ensure justice for this child.”
