Missing Columbia teenager found in Colorado sex offender’s house, officials say
By Jacob Richey
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COLUMBIA (KOMU) — Investigators say they found a missing Columbia teenager in the closet of a registered sex offender in Colorado.
No one had heard from the 16-year-old girl since Dec. 6, 2024, when she went missing from her home in Columbia, and she had been completely silent on social media, according to an affidavit obtained by KOMU 8.
Fort Collins Police Services received a tip from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Task Force on April 18 that the 16-year-old could be located north of Denver, in Fort Collins, Colorado, according to the affidavit.
Fort Collins is located north of Denver.
Fort Collins Police SWAT Team served a search warrant at the residence of Maximilian Bondrescu, 44, and reportedly found the girl inside, according to a news release. Bondrescu allegedly denied that investigators would find anyone inside before the search.
Bondrescu is a registered sex offender in Colorado, online records show.
The investigation found that Bondrescu allegedly rented a vehicle to drive to Missouri, where met up with the girl and drove her to Colorado, according to Fort Collins Police Services.
The girl reportedly told investigators she was held against her will but that Bondrescu would sometimes take her out and make her work for his snow removal company, according to officials.
Bondrescu allegedly forced the girl to wear a mask while shoveling snow to conceal her identity and age, according to officials.
Bondrescu was arrested on April 18 and booked into the Larimer County Jail, online records show.
He was arrested on suspicion of second-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, sexual assault on a child, false imprisonment, failure to register as a sex offender, child abuse, harboring a minor and obstructing a peace officer, according to Fort Collins Police Services.
KOMU 8 has reached out to Columbia and Boone County officials for more information. Check back for updates.
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