A 15-year-old from Hastings is now facing adult charges after prosecutors say he helped a registered sex offender kidnap and brutalize an 11-year-old boy in Flagler County. At a brief court appearance, a judge ordered that the teen be held without the option of bond.
According to WESH, the State Attorney’s Office has filed an armed-kidnapping charge and several additional felony counts against 15-year-old Junior Bishop and has chosen to prosecute him as an adult. That decision means Bishop could face a potential life sentence if he is convicted.
In a press release, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said investigators believe 60-year-old registered sex offender Darnell Hairston lured the 11-year-old to a campsite, hog-tied and gagged him with duct tape, beat him and repeatedly threatened to kill him over several days. Deputies reported finding the child terrified during a traffic stop and taking him to a local hospital for treatment, after which detectives obtained arrest warrants for Hairston. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office has publicly detailed the case in an update.
Rescue After a Tip
Authorities say the boy was recovered on Dec. 31 after a member of the public reported seeing Hairston driving with two juveniles in a vehicle. Deputies pulled the truck over and secured the child, according to local reports. As WFTV reported, the citizen who called in the tip was later honored by the sheriff’s office for helping lead deputies to the rescue.
Court Filings and Competency Requests
At a hearing this week, Bishop asked the court for a mental evaluation and told the judge he needs help, while Hairston’s attorney argued that his client might be incompetent to stand trial. The judge rejected that claim, according to WESH. The station also quoted the victim’s mother, who said the ordeal "left him terrified" and that her son has been suffering nightmares and sleepless nights.
Charges and Possible Penalties
News accounts list a string of charges against Bishop tied to the tense traffic stop itself, including aggravated battery on a law-enforcement officer, fleeing and eluding at reckless speed and grand theft of a motor vehicle. Those first-degree felonies carry steep penalties under Florida law, News4JAX reports. The sheriff’s office says Hairston is facing armed-kidnapping and aggravated-child-abuse charges and is being held without bond, and detectives say additional counts could still be filed. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office has posted a full case update.
The investigation remains active, and prosecutors say they plan to take further steps as detectives continue developing the case. For more background on the early stages of the investigation and the initial filings, see Hoodline’s January report on the Hastings teen charged as an adult.
