Possible Paulding Kidnapping Suspect Arrested

A man suspected in the possible kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl in Paulding County has been arrested in Twiggs County, the sheriff’s office said.

Keith Alan Dubel, 18, of Ft. Pierce, Fla., was arrested after a traffic stop on Interstate-16 in Twiggs County Sunday, according to the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office. In the car with him was the 13-year-old who was reported missing after spending Saturday night at a friend’s house.

However, it is unclear whether the girl was with Dubel willingly, the sheriff’s office said.

The girl’s family reported the girl was missing or possibly kidnapped Sunday. She slept over and attended a birthday party at a friend’s home Saturday night in Paulding County, but she was gone when her friend woke up in the morning.

“The family explained that their daughter had befriended an 18-year-old white male name Keith Alan Dubel, who was from Fort Pierce, Florida,” PCSO Cpl. Ashley Henson said in a news release. “The family knew the two had communicated in the past [via the internet], but were unaware of the seriousness of their relationship. The family stated that they believed their daughter might be with Dubel but were not sure. ...

“Once Detectives began obtaining more information, it was determined that the female juvenile was with Dubel and they were unsure whether or not the juvenile left willingly or if she was kidnapped.”

A missing persons alert was sent out Sunday by Paulding County E-911.

Twiggs County Cpl. Jeremy Johnson became suspicious of Dubel and the 13-year-old after he stopped Dubel’s Dodge Charger for a window-tint violation Sunday. According to the news release, the deputy noticed the two were nervous and he cold smell an odor of marijuana.

“After he continued to speak with them, he knew the two had something to hide,” Henson said in the news release. “Finally, after speaking with the female juvenile for some time, she admitted that she had left home and that the couple was en route to Florida.”

Dubel was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, impeding the flow of traffic and illegal window tint. The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Division is investigating the case and more charges are pending against Dubel once he is transferred to Paulding County. The family traveled to Twiggs County to pick up the daughter.

“It is only with cooperation from citizens and other law enforcement agencies that we can adequately do our job. I want to commend Corporal Jeremy Johnson and Sheriff Darren Mitchum [of the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office], along with the all of the other Deputies that worked this case, for the fantastic job they did,” Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge said in the news release. “As a result of their hard work and determination, this child was returned to her family before any serious harm could be done to her.”

(Photo: Keith Alan Dubel. Credit: PCSO)