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Jacob Alex Montague is currently in custody and faces charges of attempted kidnapping, stalking, aggravated assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, and related offenses, authorities told PhillyVoice.
Montague tried kidnapping a 28-year-old woman at kinfepoint near the intersection of 20th and Spruce Streets around 11:20 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2020, Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said.
The woman ran from Montague to her apartment on the 2000 block of Rittenhouse Square where she met police and identified Montague as the man who attempted to abduct her, the PhillyVoice says.
The following day, Montague parked his car near the intersection of 24th and Spruce Streets and abducted a 26-year-old woman walking her dog at knifepoint, dragging her into his vehicle around 5:30 p.m., according to Williams and the PhillyVoice.
Two witnesses rushed to the victim's aid and were able to pull her from the car. She suffered a cut on her left ring finger that required six stitches, the PhillyVoice says.
The victim's AirPod and a knife belonging to Montague were found inside his car, police told PhillyVoice.
Pennsylvania State Police investigated a third incident that occurred in the afternoon of Nov. 2, which allegedly involved Montague, authorities told PhillyVoice.
Another woman told authorities a man followed her from Philadelphia to Glenn Mills, making multiple attempts to get her to pull over as he followed her for more than an hour around 3 p.m., the news outlet says.
State police had stopped the car, but released Montague pending further investigation, hours before the 26-year-old victim was attacked, Philly Voice reports.
Montague was arrested for an incident that occurred in Raleigh, North Carolina where he was charged for robbery, according to state arrest records.
“Kidnapping is a terrifying experience for the victims,” Williams said.
“As alleged in the Indictment, the defendant was relentless in his pursuit, trying two days in a row to kidnap someone at knifepoint. We hope everyone can rest easier knowing that he is now facing federal charges.”
If convicted, Montague faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, Willams said.
His initial appearance in federal court is set for Jan. 29.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Miller and Priya T. DeSouza.
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