LEE COUNTY, FL - Authorities said that a Facebook Marketplace meetup went awry after a man allegedly lured his friend to his home and held him captive for ransom.
The alleged suspect, Nicholas Flores, 32, was arrested on Tuesday, July 8th, WSVN reported. He is accused of tying, choking, and kidnapping a friend during the planned PlayStation 5 transaction from Facebook Marketplace. The victim said that he met Flores to buy his gaming system on Monday, July 7th.
When the victim went inside the house, Flores allegedly pulled out a machete and knocked the victim unconscious before putting him in a closet. While stuck inside the closet with his legs and wrists allegedly bound by duct tape, Flores proceeded to make multiple transactions to his own account by taking money from the victim's account, according to Law & Crime.
The victim was able to escape while Flores was asleep. He went to a family member's home and sought medical attention. Hours later, deputies were notified about the alleged incident and took Flores into custody.
While executing a search warrant at the residence, deputies located the items used to tie up the victim, along with a cocaine and fentanyl mix. Flores has been charged with robbery with a weapon, kidnapping, and possession of a controlled substance. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in court on August 11th.
