Kentucky manhunt ends with arrest of fugitive from SC convicted of torturing a 3-year-old
A fugitive from South Carolina who officials had warned was possibly armed and dangerous has been taken into custody near Georgetown.
The Scott County Sheriff’s Office arrested Nathan Ginter, 43, near Newtown Pike and Cynthiana Road, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post early Saturday.
Ginter was being held Saturday in the Scott County Detention Center.
A woman who had accompanied Ginter, Riley Pearson, was also in custody, according to the Georgetown Police Department. Officials have not said what charges she is facing.
Deputies found Ginter and Pearson after being called about a suspicious person in the Cynthiana Road area at about midnight, Scott County Sheriff Tony Hampton said in a news release.
Though they initially gave false information about their identities, deputies were able to determine who they were, and they were taken into custody without incident, the release states.
Ginter had two handguns, two rifles, $60,500 in cash and 16 fake ID cards with him, according to the sheriff’s office.
Kentucky State Police had warned people in Bourbon, Harrison and Scott counties Tuesday that they were looking for Ginter after he fled from police.
“Ginter tortured his young child by means of water boarding and using a taser,” a U.S. Marshals wanted poster stated. “Despite failing to show up to court for his trial, Ginter was found guilty.” He was wanted by the City of Columbia, South Carolina, Police Department for failure to appear and unlawful conduct towards a child.
A reward for his arrest had been increased from $5,000 to $10,000, according to the marshals.
Columbia television station WOLO reported that Ginter failed to show up for his trial in Richland County, South Carolina, about a week ago, and a bench warrant for his arrest was issued. During a trial that lasted three days, Ginter was convicted on four counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, according to the station.
Ginter left bruises on his 3-year-old daughter when he used a bamboo stick to beat her, left second-degree burns on her backside with a stun gun and used cold baths and showers to waterboard the child, the ABC affiliate reported.
Family members reported the abuse after seeing the burns, and the girl’s 9-year-old sister testified that she witnessed the incidents, according to WOLO.
In addition to the out-of-state warrants for his arrest, Ginter is now charged with four counts of a felon in possession of a firearm and 16 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, according to the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.
