Oregon kidnap suspect wanted for attempted murder was released from Nevada prison early
A kidnapping suspect now on the loose in Oregon was let out of a Nevada prison the same day he arrived in 2021 to serve time for a similar crime in Las Vegas, authorities said Monday.
Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, had been charged in 2019 with five felonies, among them assault and battery. He pleaded guilty instead to felony and misdemeanor battery, and in September 2021 he was given a state prison sentence of up to two years.
When he reported to the prison intake facility, authorities released him because the judge had factored in 729 days he had been jailed pending trial and his time was up, Nevada prison system spokesman William Quenga said Monday.
Though Foster had already served his minimum sentence by the time he reported to the state prison, there were still six months left on the maximum that had been handed down by the judge.
The Clark County District, Judge Tierra Jones and District Attorney Steve Wolfson did not respond to comment requests.
In Las Vegas, Foster had been convicted of keeping his then-girlfriend captive for two weeks, leaving her with numerous injuries before she was able to escape during a grocery run.
Authorities in and around Oregon say he kidnapped, tied up and beat unconscious a Grants Pass woman who remains hospitalized and has not regained consciousness. Foster is charged with attempted murder.
Police had warned two days ago that Foster might be using dating apps to lure victims or potential unwitting accomplices in his escapes. They no longer think he’s trolling for victims, but police suspect he’s enlisting people to help him escape.
With News Wire Services
