An Alberta, Canada, woman thought she was landing a lucrative model gig when she flew into Atlanta earlier this month, after a man posing as a professional photographer promised her money for a photo shoot.
Huff Post Canada reports that the victim, only described as a female between 18 to 25 years old, met Fred Russell Urey, 38, online and spoke with him on and off for a few months before agreeing to meet him in person for a photo shoot. Urey reportedly offered her $15,000 cash and covered her flight from Canada to Georgia.
When the victim arrived at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on May 18, Urey picked her up and drove to Pickens County, South Carolina. According to a police report, he stopped at two different hotels on the way and showed her local scenery that he wanted to use as a backdrop for the photos.
“On the third night, the suspect took the victim to his residence and once inside; he immediately used physical force to restrain her and threatened her safety as well as the safety of her family in Canada,” the police report read.
Fred Russell Urey Sr. claimed he was a professional photographer looking to hire a model in order to lure the woman to South Carolina.
Posted by WNCN on Friday, May 26, 2017
According to Creed Hashe, chief deputy in Pickens County, the victim was held inside a trailer for five days. Urey finally agreed to let her contact her family, and the victim used FaceTime on her iPhone while the suspect watched over her. She managed to give a family member a signal unbeknownst to Urey. The family member picked up on the clue and contacted local authorities, who traced her location with her cellphone’s signals.
When police arrived to the trailer, no one answered the door, but they heard a woman screaming inside. Within minutes, the victim dove through a front-view window and into the front yard. Authorities then raided the trailer and found Urey standing with a knife to his own throat. He was eventually subdued and arrested.
“A lot of times I guess people put too much confidence in the Internet or social media. Sometimes they get lured into things that are not as legit or as genuine as they wanted them to be,” Hashe said. “Unfortunately, it’s a target-rich environment for people who are trying to prey on people that they can lure into their schemes and criminal activity.”
Urey was charged with kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct. He’s currently behind bars at Pickens County Jail.
[Feature Photo: Pickens County Jail]
