TRENTON, Mich. – Authorities have revealed new details in connection with a New Jersey man arrested on attempted kidnapping charges Downriver.
Original story: Man charged in elaborate Downriver Christmas kidnapping plot
New Jersey native George Mandarakas -- a former high-ranking official at the University Of Notre Dame -- was arrested for stalking a Metro Detroit woman over the Christmas holidays. Authorities divulged more evidence, including a so-called “kidnapping kit” found in his car, in an effort to keep him behind bars until his trial.
George Mandarakas has been held without bond as he awaits his trial. His defense attorney is saying there is no reason for that and has asked a judge to put him on a tether and let him live in Florida with his mother.
Prosecutors responded with more evidence against him.
Police picked up Mandarakas outside a church in Trenton after a woman figured out someone put an electronic tracker on her car. This happened after Mandarakas showed up to talk with the woman he’d had an affair with at Notre Dame. He claimed he was a student when he was an employee 10 years older than he said he was. They reportedly dated for more than four years before she broke up with him.
Authorities said Mandarakas came back to Michigan multiple times in an effort to convince her to marry him.
Mandarakas’ lawyer said he’s no danger to the woman he’s alleged to have stalked or anyone else.
In his filing, he wrote: “On multiple occasions, the court called the facts ‘chilling’ while also acknowledging that the ‘defendant’s plan was far-fetched... It was also impossible.’”
The defense argued that Mandarakas has not shown any violent tendencies, has never owned a boat and doesn’t know how to sail.
Authorities showed photos of evidence that included thousands of American and Canadian dollars reportedly found in one of the two cars he had near Trenton, maps to sail to Cuba and Morocco, ads for boats to buy and a gun with roughly 700 rounds of ammunition.
The federal response: “Obviously, Mandarakas wants the court to forget the items that he brought with him hundreds of miles, across many states, over many hours, to where the victim was: the body bag, the rope, the knife, the zip ties, the handcuffs, the stun gun, the sex products the gun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.”
The defense claims the ammunition did not fit the gun they found in Mandarakas’ car.
Prosecutors said Mandarakas “could not stop himself” and that “there is no truth in him.”
Authorities said after the story came out, another woman came forward and claimed Mandarakas did much the same kind of thing to her.
Prior coverage: