Zachary Journey, the 25-year-old man wanted in North Carolina for allegedly kidnapping a child, has been arrested in Marathon, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
Journey is jailed and awaiting extradition to Onslow County in North Carolina, where he will face a child abduction charge, MCSO said in a statement.
The 15-year-old girl, who was not physically injured, was taken under the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families.
A sheriff's deputy made the arrest Thursday night after conducting a traffic stop on a black Dodge pickup truck with no tag light.
During the stop, Journey told the deputy that he and the girl were traveling from North Carolina to stay with a friend in Marathon, according to MCSO.
The license plate on the truck did not match the vehicle and as the deputy investigated the discrepancy, emergency dispatch told the deputy that Journey had a warrant from North Carolina related to the kidnapping of a minor.
Dispatch immediately sent more deputies to location. Deputies arrived and – with weapons drawn – told Journey and the girl to get out of the vehicle.
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Both were detained. Though he initially told police he had no weapons, Journey reversed that claim upon arrest and said there was a firearm in the vehicle – a loaded Remington Model 870 express super magnum 12-gauge shotgun next to the driver's seat.
