Stark County woman found safe after kidnapping at knifepoint by sex offender

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WOIO) - A Stark County woman who was kidnapped at knifepoint and forced into a vehicle Wednesday evening was found safe Thursday morning, about 14 hours later.

The Ohio Attorney General Missing Persons Unit sent out an urgent media release around 11 p.m. Wednesday asking for the public’s help in finding a missing 31-year-old woman.

19 News has removed her name and photo from this story for privacy reasons.

The attorney general’s office identified Jamie Triplett, 38, as the suspect.

According to court records, Triplett is a Tier III sex offender with a 2012 rape and kidnapping conviction. He was released from prison on Feb. 18.

Jackson Township police said the woman was abducted at 6:26 p.m. Wednesday from the Rodeway Inn on Sunset Strip Avenue NW.

Police announced she was found safe around 8:22 a.m. Thursday at the Perry Inn on Lincoln Way in Perry Township.

“Right after he went back, bam, seven squad cars, there were cops everywhere,” said Edwin Wheeler. “I thought it was pretty strange the way it went down, but I’m glad they got him and got her back.”

Wheeler was just feet away from room 140, where Triplett and the victim were staying.

Wheeler said Triplett used his phone just 30 minutes before police arrived.

“He sat down, called two numbers, trying to get somebody to come get him before somebody else found out about him or found out where they were,” said Wheeler.

Officers then arrested Triplett on charges of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, disrupting public service, and aggravated menacing.

The 38-year-old is now headed back to the Stark County Jail, where he was just released at the end of August.

In that case, Triplett violated probation and was taken into custody on July 9 for a period of 90 days with jail time credit back to May 27.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Jackson Township police at 330-832-1553.