Man wanted on kidnapping charges speaks to Local 2
Jacob Richard Godinez arrested after interview with Local 2 Investigates
Man wanted on kidnapping charges speaks to Local 2
A 20-year-old man accused of kidnapping a high school student spoke one-on-one with Local 2 Investigates, denying the charges just minutes before he was arrested.
"Do you know you're charged with aggravated kidnapping?" Local 2 Investigator Robert Arnold asked
"Uh, no," said Jacob Richard Godinez.
Harris County court documents read Godinez is accused of kidnapping a high school student as she was walking along the 4500 block of Aldine Mail Route on Jan. 20.
In an affidavit, investigators wrote Godinez forced the girl into a car and "bound the complainant's wrists and feet with pieces of rope." The affidavit further reads the girl claims Godinez took her an abandoned house in Humble and "terrorized and assaulted her by grabbing the complainant's hair forcefully and striking the complainant in the face with an open hand."
Investigators further stated the girl claims Godinez told her he was a member of a gang and "he was going to kill her and displayed two different handguns."
Sheriff's investigators wrote the girl claimed Godinez told her this was revenge for some type of dispute she had with his girlfriend.
Sheriff's officials told Local 2 the girl also claims she was taken to another house in Pasadena and said she was held for two days without food or water. Sheriff's officials said the girl could not remember the exact location of the houses, only that the house in Humble was boarded up and had graffiti on the walls.
Investigators wrote the girl claimed Godinez's girlfriend brought her food and water and eventually took her home after Godinez left the house where she claims she was being held.
"This (expletive) is (expletive) hilarious because I had nothing to do with that crap," Godinez said after Local 2 showed him the investigator's affidavit.
Godinez claimed he knows his accuser from when he was a student at MacArthur High School, but said he has not seen her since last year.
"You're saying you did not do this?" Arnold asked.
"I did not do that," Godinez replied.
Sheriff's officials also said the girl's mother claims to have received text messages from Godinez stating he was the one who took her daughter. Godinez said it was not his phone that was used to send those messages.
Godinez also said he was at work on the day the girl claimed to have been abducted.
As Local 2's interview was concluding, we received a call from deputy U.S. marshals who said the sheriff's office had just forwarded Godinez's arrest warrant to members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force. Local 2 informed deputy U.S. Marshals Alfredo Perez and Cameron Welch that we were speaking with Godinez. Members of the task force immediately began heading to Local 2's location. Before members of the task force arrived, Godinez was picked up by a man another family member said was his father. Local 2 followed that car and informed members of the task force that it was parked in front of a Whataburger on Little York near Highway 59. Godinez claims he works at that fast-food restaurant. Members of the task force arrived a short time later and arrested Godinez.
Godinez has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and being held on $30,000 bail.
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If you have a news tip or question for KPRC Local 2 Investigates, drop them an e-mail or call their tipline at (713) 223-TIPS (8477).
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