Man accused of kidnapping woman, repeatedly threatening her despite being arrested, Ga. police say

VALDOSTA, Ga. — A man is back in jail after officials say he repeatedly targeted and threatened a woman.

Valdosta police said on Nov. 16 at 10:05 p.m., officers received reports of a woman being threatened at a home on East Brookwood Drive.

When officers arrived, the victim told officers 50-year-old Jamie Heath had forced her into her vehicle at gunpoint and forced her to drive to his home on East Brookwood Drive. She told police he was threatening her the entire time.

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The victim told police as she and Heath arrived, officers pulled up to the home, prompting Heath to run away.

Officers searched the area but could not find him.

Authorities did not specify the relationship between Heath and the victim.

On Nov. 18 at 4:30 p.m., the woman called officers again to report Heath going into her home while she wasn’t there.

According to the report, Heath took her doorbell camera and entered her home without her consent.

When officers went to Heath’s home for the second time, they saw him and another man walking inside the house. Authorities said Heath then shut the front door on officers and refused to cooperate with them.

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After obtaining arrest and search warrants, officials said officers forced entry into Heath’s home and took him into custody. He was charged with criminal trespass and theft by taking.

Authorities said within a couple of hours after being released from Lowndes County Jail, Heath began to send threatening text messages to the victim.

When the victim called the police for a third time, the report said she showed officers a video of when Heath kidnapped her at gunpoint.

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On Nov. 19, Heath was arrested for a second time. He was charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, stalking, theft by taking family violence and criminal trespass family violence.

“This was outstanding work by our officers. They could see that this offender’s actions were escalating, so they knew he needed to be arrested before anything further could happen to the victim. Then, when they found out that he had been released from jail and immediately contacted the victim, they did not stop until they found him and took him into custody again,” Valdosta Chief of Police Leslie Manahan said.

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