Fort Worth man accused of holding teen against her will

A 26-year-old Fort Worth man accused of keeping a 15-year-old runaway against her will for weeks faces an aggravated kidnapping charge, police said Monday.

Ramiro Almendarez was arrested Friday night. He remained in the Mansfield Jail on Monday with bail set at $50,000.

The teenager told investigators that she was walking near Wichita Street in early May when Almendarez offered her a ride and she accepted.

“The suspect took the victim to his house and then would not allow her to leave,” Cpl. Tracey Knight, a police spokeswoman, said in an email. “The suspect held the victim at his house by threats of violence and a handgun.”

Knight said Almendarez also made the teen change her appearance in an attempt to make herself look older.

On June 3, the girl escaped and went to Fort Worth Fire Station No. 22 at 4849 Wilbarger St. There she called her parents, and police were notified, Knight said.

The Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the case.

Tarrant County court records show that Almendarez has previous convictions for assault by contact, robbery and assault with bodily injury of a family member.

He was charged Monday with possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana, according to court records.

This story was originally published June 8, 2015 at 3:16 PM with the headline "Fort Worth man accused of holding teen against her will."