South Florida detectives say a Davie man turned a storage unit into a makeshift prison, locking a veteran inside for months while exploiting his benefits as the victim struggled with addiction and homelessness. The man was finally rescued when someone heard cries for help coming from inside the unit, where first responders cut through a master lock and reported a reeking space littered with several five-gallon buckets of human waste. The suspect was arrested this month and is now jailed on a kidnapping charge.
According to Local10, online jail records show that Oscar Moses Badger was arrested on March 3 on a felony kidnapping charge after officers were called to the Access Self Storage facility at 7000 SW 22nd Court on March 1. Davie Fire Rescue cut off a silver master lock to get inside, and an arrest affidavit described the unit as in “complete disarray.” The victim was taken from the scene to HCA University Hospital for treatment.
An arrest affidavit detailed several five-gallon buckets filled with urine and feces inside the unit and stated that the victim told detectives he had been locked there since November, according to the Miami Herald. The man told investigators he had recently become homeless and addicted to crack cocaine and fentanyl. He said he received about $7,000 a month from the Veterans Administration and that his dealer, known to him as “Tray,” supplied him with drugs and hotel rooms in exchange for those benefits. The victim told detectives he owed roughly $3,000 last November and that Badger sometimes took his bank and VA cards or forced him to call his bank to raise withdrawal limits so he could pull out more cash.
What Detectives Say
Investigators say security-camera footage showed Badger arriving at the storage facility in a Honda Accord and placing a bag of food inside the unit, and the victim later picked him out of a photo lineup, according to Local10. The affidavit also alleges that Badger recruited others to move the victim to an apartment in Lauderhill, where he was beaten, then brought him back to the storage unit. Police say Badger did not threaten to kill the man but did threaten more beatings to keep him under control.
Charges And Court Status
Badger is jailed on a felony kidnapping charge and has been held without bond since his March 3 arrest, court and jail records show, according to the Miami Herald. Court records currently list no attorney for Badger, and prosecutors have not yet filed any additional public charges.
The case underscores how quickly people grappling with addiction and homelessness can become targets for predators who turn government benefit payments into leverage. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities say they are still developing leads as the case moves forward.
