Missing teen found in Florida with man who claimed he wanted to play gambling games: PCSO

Missing teen found in Florida

A missing teen from North Carolina was recovered and the man she was with was arrested following a traffic stop in Florida. 

CRESCENT CITY, Fla. - A missing North Carolina teen has been safely recovered following a traffic stop in Florida.

What we know:

A Putnam County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled over a speeding vehicle near Crescent City. The driver, Joshua Magraff, 37, of Charlotte, North Carolina, told the deputy the passenger was his 16-year-old cousin.

READ: Florida couple shoots, kills Brandon man while trying to evict him from apartment: HCSO

The deputy said he became concerned for the teen’s welfare after she gave him several false names and dates of birth, including saying she was born in 2013, which would make her 12 years old.

Courtesy: Putnam County Sheriff's Office

After placing the passenger in his patrol car, the deputy said she eventually gave him her real name and that’s when he discovered she had been reported missing more than a month ago.

The deputy added that the teen’s mother was contacted, and she said she did not know Magraff and had reported her daughter missing on Feb. 16.

Dig deeper:

According to PCSO, Magraff initially said the teen was his cousin and then changed it to say that she was his friend.

In body camera video, deputies can be heard asking him why he was hanging out with a 16-year-old and that’s when he changed his story again and said that he thought she was 19.

READ: Spring Hill man arrested for stealing more than $600K worth of onions, potatoes: Prosecutors

When asked why the pair were in Florida, Magraff stated he was in the state to play gambling games.

While searching the vehicle, deputies said they found 19 counterfeit $100 bills, synthetic marijuana, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Courtesy: Putnam County Sheriff's Office

Magraff was arrested and charged with interference in child custody, synthetic marijuana possession, possession of counterfeit currency, contributing to delinquency of a minor and possession of drug paraphernalia.

What's next:

Deputies contacted the Department of Children and Families to take custody of the teen until she could be reunited with her mother.