NEW HAMPSHIRE MAN ARRESTED ON FEDERAL KIDNAPING CHARGE

Boston, MA... A New Hampshire man appeared today in federal district court following his arrest for the December 5, 2006, alleged kidnaping of a former girlfriend from the parking lot of the Wrentham Outlet Mall where the victim worked as a sales associate at one of the outlet stores.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Sharon Ormsby, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New England; Joseph E. Collamati, Jr., Chief of the Wrentham Police Department; Colonel Mike Delaney, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; David Dubois, Chief of the Rochester, New Hampshire Police Department, announced today that DONALD JARED DURAND, age 19, of 312 Portland Street, Rochester, New Hampshire, appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy S. Hillman on a criminal complaint charging him with kidnaping.

According to the affidavit, the victim, a 17 year old minor female, met DURAND in the Summer of 2004. Since that time she was involved in an on and off again relationship with him. In August 2005, the victim and DURAND became estranged and they had little contact until September 2006, at which time DURAND began calling the victim. The two began talking and she visited him at his apartment in New Hampshire on a few occasions. On November 13, 2006, the victim obtained a retraining order against DURAND , which directed that he stay away from her workplace and have no contact with her. The victim sought the restraining order because he had begun calling her at work incessantly. The restraining order expired on November 28, 2006.

According to the affidavit, on Tuesday December 5, 2006, the minor was working at the store in Wrentham and was scheduled to be there until closing at 10:00 p.m. It is alleged that DURAND called her numerous times during her shift but she did not answer her cell phone. At 8:45 p.m. the victim, who was about to take a scheduled work break, answered a call on her cell phone from DURAND who was in his car in the mall parking lot. The victim agreed to go outside and speak to him. The victim went outside, leaving behind her jacket, cell phone, and pocketbook. During the course of their conversation, DURAND allegedly asked the victim if she would go back to New Hampshire with him when she finished work, which the victim declined. DURAND then stated that he wanted to have a cigarette and he indicated that his cigarettes were in his car. They got into his car. DURAND allegedly told the victim he was going to drive her around to the front entrance of the store where she worked. Instead, however, it is alleged that he drove towards the parking lot exit, refusing to go back when the victim asked him. She tried to unlock her door but was unable to do so.

It is alleged that DURAND drove with the victim to Rochester, New Hampshire. En route he received separate calls on his cell phone from the victim’s mother, sister, and a Sergeant with the Wrentham Police Department who were all looking for the victim. On all of the phone calls DURAND told them that he did not know where the victim was. It is alleged that he told the Sergeant that he had been at work all day at a fast food restaurant in Alton, New Hampshire.

According to the affidavit, DURAND took the victim to his New Hampshire apartment and locked her in a room. While the victim was in the room, DURAND, who was elsewhere in the apartment, received another call from the Sergeant with the Wrentham Police Department. At the conclusion of the conversation, the Sergeant asked DURAND to go to the Rochester, New Hampshire Police Department. DURAND left the apartment at about 12:30 a.m. to do so. After DURAND left, the victim began banging on the floor and screaming in an unsuccessful effort to get the attention of downstairs neighbors. She also tried to get out by the door but could not. She eventually gave up and fell asleep. At about 3:00 a.m. DURAND returned to the apartment and entered the room where the victim was being held. He refused her requests to use his cell phone to call someone and left her in the room where she fell asleep again.

After the victim awoke around noon on the following day, it is alleged that DURAND told her that he was going to take her home. They got into his car and began the drive back to Massachusetts. According to the affidavit at approximately 2:30 p.m., DURAND pulled off at an exit on I-495 driving into a fast food restaurant parking lot. He gave the victim some quarters, told her to call someone, and then drove away. Unable to reach her family, the victim called a friend who came to pick her up at the restaurant and then brought her to a location where they were met by the Wrentham Police.

DURAND was arrested by the FBI at his place of work in Alton, New Hampshire at approximately 6:00 p.m. on December 6, 2006. DURAND remains in federal custody pending a detention and probable cause hearing scheduled for Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. If convicted, DURAND faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Wrentham Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Rochester, New Hampshire Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Lang, Chief of Sullivan's Major Crimes Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan also in the Major Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Press Contact: Samantha Martin, (617) 748-3139