BY REBECCA BENNETT — Charles Amofa of Chillum was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 2012 abduction and sexual abuse of two girls on two separate occasions, according to WJLA. The incidents took place in Lewisdale and the City of Hyattsville. The 27-year-old plead guilty in April to kidnapping, sexual offenses and solicitation of a minor.
In 2012, Prince George’s County Police announced they arrested Amofa after the August 6 abduction of a 6-year-old from the Value Village Thrift Store located in the 2200 block of University Boulevard. Police say the then-25-year-old lured the victim outside by telling her he had a toy outside he wanted to show her. He then took her to the playground at the Lane Manor Recreation Center, police say, where he sexually abused her.
Police Officer First Class Fredys Castro-Rivas, a six-year veteran, says the girl’s father told him he couldn’t locate his daughter. Officer Castro-Rivas says he then located both the victim and Amofa near the park. Amofa was arrested without incident, according to police. He was held without bond.
According to Detective Luis Machicote, less than 30 minutes had passed by from the time the victim went missing from her father to when she was located at the park.
Officers say Amofa confessed he was also involved in a kidnapping and attempt sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl on July 9. According to police, Amofa also lured the victim away from the same University Boulevard Value Village to a vacant property off of Chapman Street. The victim fought off her attacker and managed to escape and run back to the store, police say.
At an August 2012 press conference, Detective Machicote warned parents to keep their eyes on their children at all times while they are out and about, even if those children are the kinds that like to run around.
The father of the 6-year-old victim thanked Officer Castro-Rivas for saving his daughter’s. “If it wasn’t for him, who knows what would have happened,” he said in a statement to police.
“People should realize it only takes 30 seconds and your daughter or son would disappear just like that.”
