An unemployed Carson City was arrested after allegedly locking his girlfriend up in his apartment while he used the woman's disability money to drink and gamble at a local bar.
Steve Rutherford, 57, was arrested Wednesday and faces felony fraud and gross misdemeanor false imprisonment charges. Bail has been set at $10,000.
Officers were called to the 400 block of East Long Street to check on the welfare of a woman whose daughter had growing safety concerns. Rutherford wouldn't allow the daughter to speak to her mother, according to the arrest report made by Carson City deputies.
Deputies arrived to the apartment and checked on the woman, discovering that the front and back doors of the home were locked from the outside with padlocks making it impossible for anyone inside to exit the home.
Officers knocked on the door and the woman who was the subject of the safety and welfare check walked to the window and spoke with officers through the window, unable to open it because all the windows in the home were nailed shut, stating she was locked inside.
Bolt cutters were used to make entry into the apartment and the woman appeared to be in good health and declined any medical attention. When she was asked about the doors and windows, she said that Rutherford regularly locks her in the home whenever he goes out drinking and gambling, according to the arrest report.
Furthermore, she told authorities that Rutherford takes her disability credit card and, for the past four months, has taken out $1,000 a month out of her checks, which amount to $1,052 a month.
Rutherford was not at the home and the woman declined to leave, saying she would be OK as long as the locks were off the doors. The locks were cut off and booked as evidence. Deputies photographed the doors and placement of the locks. Deputies cleared the home and then went looking for Rutherford.
Meanwhile the daughter who originally called authorities because she was concerned for her mother was told of the situation. She said she had the authoritity to track down how much money had been withdrawn and where Rutherford was spending her mother's disability money. After checking, there had been a $500 cash withdrawal from Mustang Sally's Bar and Grill about an hour prior to the dispatch call.
Officers went to Mustang Sally's Bar and Grill to look for Rutherford. The daughter informed officers that Rutherford returned to his apartment and called her, asking about the missing locks. Deputies met with Rutherford and questioned him about the locks on the doors, if he was responsible and why he did it. Rutherford said he had gone out to get food and didn't want the woman to leave for her own good and safety, according to the report.
Deputies asked Rutherford if he had the key to the lock in his pocket and the man said he did. He was placed under arrest for false imprisonment and fraud. As officers were taking items out of Rutherford's pockets to search for weapons, they found the woman's bank card and her driver's license on him. He also had $490 in his pocket he said he took out for the woman.
After taking him into custody, officers returned to get a statement from the woman but the woman had apparently hit her head, injuring herself and was taken to the hospital.