Man arrested after child seeks help

DURHAM -- A Charlotte fugitive was arrested Saturday night after a child ran into a gas station to ask for help, saying he had been kidnapped.

Samuel Moses McCrae III, 21, was charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count each of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, carrying a concealed weapon, felony possession of a controlled substance and resisting a public officer, according to arrest warrants. Some charges come from outstanding warrants in Charlotte, Durham police said.

McCrae was arrested at a BP gas station just before 8 p.m. Saturday. A child approached a customer at the gas station and said he and his mother were kidnapped in Charlotte, police said. The child said the man holding them hostage was in a car in the parking lot.

The customer called police, and officers arrested McCrae at the scene.

Police did not disclose the relationship between McCrae, the woman and the child.

Charlotte police may levy additional charges against McCrae, including kidnapping, according to Durham police. If charged with kidnapping, McCrae would be transferred to the Mecklenburg County Jail, police said.

McCrae was released on parole from Durham County Jail in July after serving an almost two-year term on convictions of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and several drug offenses. The outstanding Charlotte warrants were issued after his release, police said.

While in prison, McCrae received 24 infractions for assault, gang involvement and sexual acts, Department of Correction records show.

He was on probation in 2006 after being convicted of assault inflicting serious injury, according to Department of Correction records.

McCrae was in the Durham jail under a $550,000 secured bond. He faces a judge today.

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