A 22-year-old man is behind bars after deputies say he tried to force a woman toward a vehicle in east El Paso’s Homestead Meadows South neighborhood on Monday. The woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation, and investigators later tracked down the suspect’s car and detained him.
According to KVIA, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 22-year-old Sergio Omar Ramos. Deputies were called to the 3700 block of John Henry early Monday, located Ramos’ vehicle, detained him, and booked him into the El Paso County Detention Facility without bond. The station reports that the Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit has taken over the case.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said a nearby witness stepped in as the incident unfolded, helping the woman get away before contacting authorities. “A witness reported seeing a male force a female toward a vehicle and helped the victim to safety before calling 911,” the spokesperson said, as reported by KVIA.
Ramos is charged with aggravated kidnapping under Texas Penal Code §20.04, which is generally treated as a first-degree felony. A conviction can carry a sentence of five to 99 years or life in prison, along with a fine of up to $10,000. The statute also allows the charge to be reduced to a second-degree felony if a defendant proves the victim was voluntarily released in a safe place, as outlined in the Texas Penal Code.
