Man Who Hid Teenage Girl Caught, Police Say

A New Jersey man wanted by Bethlehem police since mid-April for allegedly hiding a 16-year-old city girl was arrested Monday.

Maximo Nunez, 46, of Trenton, allegedly took Johany Javier from her Randolf Road home in the Marvine-Pembroke neighborhood between midnight and 8 a.m. on April 17 without the permission of her legal guardian, police said.

In an affidavit of probable cause, Officer Jeffrey Fehr wrote that he spoke to Nunez and the girl by telephone at a little after 9 p.m. on the day she left.

Fehr wrote that he asked Nunez to return Johany and he said: “That is up to her.” They both confirmed that they were in the Bronx, N.Y., Fehr wrote. When Fehr asked for a specific address, Johany began to give it and then the line disconnected, the affidavit says.

On April 19, Bethlehem police put out a call for the public to help them locate Nunez and Johany. As of late Monday afternoon, there was no word from Bethlehem police on the location or condition of the girl.

Nunez was charged with concealment of the whereabouts of a child and interfering with the custody of children. Both charges are third-class felonies.

Nunez was arraigned before District Judge Patricia Romig-Passaro and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail.