Manhattan Man Arrested for Attempted Kidnapping after Attempting to Abduct Child

By Ryan Duey

On June 13, 2024, at approximately 1:01 PM, officers from the Riley County Police Department responded to a reported attempted child abduction outside of So Long Saloon in the 1100 block of Moro Street.

When officers arrived on the scene the manager identified the suspect as Jonathan Valentine, 43, of Manhattan. Witnesses reported the subject aggressively claimed a child did not belong to the child’s guardian and attempted to forcibly take the 7-month-old, causing a minor injury to the child.

Officers quickly detained the subject. He was arrested on a probable cause offense of attempted aggravated kidnapping. The subject’s bond was set at $50,000.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with further information is urged to contact the RCPD at 785-537-2112. Those wishing to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers. Using Crime Stoppers could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

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