A 34-year-old man was charged on Thursday after he was found in a Boalsburg home with a 17-year-old girl who had been reported missing out of Northeastern Pennsylvania days earlier, according to State College police.
Michael G. Gnudi, of Luzerne County, is charged with felony counts of concealment of a child and interfering with the custody of a child, as well as a misdemeanor count of corruption of minors.
Old Forge Police Department in Lackawanna County requested State College police’s assistance locating the teen on Monday. The girl’s father reported her missing and she was believed to be traveling toward State College in a vehicle owned by Gnudi, with whom she was suspected of being romantically involved, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
She left her cell phone at a friend’s home where she was supposed to be staying, but in a Snapchat message to a contact shared her location as being at the Benner Pike Walmart in College Township, police wrote.
Borough police identified an address associated with Gnudi on the 700 block of Boal Avenue and found his vehicle parked in the driveway, according to the affidavit. Gnudi was “visibly shaking” when he answered the door and officers informed him they were investigating a missing person, police wrote.
Gnudi consented to a search of the residence, and officers observed that he appeared to be directing them away from one bedroom, police wrote. While searching the bedroom, where they noticed a suitcase and drink, police found the girl hidden beneath a pile of blankets on the floor, according to the affidavit.
Gnudi initially denied knowing who was in the bedroom but later admitted that the girl had called him and asked him for help, police wrote. The girl confirmed that a backpack and other items in the vehicle belonged to her.
Officers transported the girl from the scene first and noted that Gnudi made “heart motions” toward the police vehicle as it drove away, according to the affidavit.
After being notified that the girl was located, her father, who has sole custody, said that she was “brainwashed that Gnudi is in love with her and they will be together,” police wrote. He also said that the relationship has been an ongoing issue, and that he was suspicious she had continued to communicate with Gnudi without his approval.
During an interview with police, the girl said she was introduced to Gnudi by her mother. She told police that her previous accusations of sex trafficking by Gnudi and her mother were made up in an attempt to be removed from a treatment facility, according to the affidavit.
Her father said an investigation is open in Lackawanna County, police wrote.
The girl also told an officer that she and Gnudi developed the plan for her to run away and stay with him at his relative’s home in Boalsburg, according to the affidavit.
Gnudi was arraigned by District Judge Allen Sinclair and was unable to post $50,000 straight bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
The girl was returned to the custody of her father.
