Man accused of forcing teen girl into car at gunpoint, assaults her '8-10 times,' court docs read

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 24-year-old man has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, accused of forcing a 13-year-old girl into his car at gunpoint and sexually assaulting her multiple times at his apartment.

Court documents read that the suspect, Lyndell Horton, allegedly drove up next to the teenage runaway and ordered her into his car Thursday. The teen claimed she refused and that's when Horton reportedly pulled up his shirt and showed a gun, scaring the teen as she got inside.

Investigators believe that from there, Horton drove her to his apartment at the Royal Phoenician in north Houston and continued forcing her inside at gunpoint. During the transfer, the teen claimed she cried and told Horton that she was only 13 years old.

The victim told deputies that Horton punched her in the face, after she told him "no" when he tried to have sex with her.

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Deputies said they began looking for the 13-year-old after her mother reported her missing and used "phone messages" in order to identify the suspect. Details read by the judge in probable cause court stated the victim's friends also witnessed the kidnapping and helped investigators identify the suspect's car.

Investigators claim that as Horton was being detained, the teen girl ran out crying and said she needed help and wanted to go home. During the interrogation, Horton allegedly admitted to police that he picked up the teenager and "had sex with her 8 to 10 times." He denied using a gun, but officers found a firearm inside of his apartment, according to court documents.

When asked whether the suspect and victim knew each other beforehand or where exactly the victim was allegedly kidnapped from, officials at Harris County Constable Pct. 4 declined to answer and said a records request needed to be filed.

ABC13 spoke to Horton's mother over the phone on Monday. She said she spoke to her son yesterday, who claims he is innocent. She expressed that she believes him.

Horton does have prior offenses. He was arrested as a juvenile for public lewdness in 2014. In 2017, he was accused of resisting arrest and stealing a vehicle in Louisiana.

During Horton's probable cause court hearing on Saturday, a judge set his bond at $500,000. Under these bond conditions, he cannot have any contact with the alleged victim, cannot own or use a firearm, must get an electronic ankle monitor, be placed under 24/7 house arrest, and cannot go within 1,000 feet of any location where children commonly gather.

His next court date is March 20.