TRAVERSE CITY — An Interlochen man was arraigned Tuesday on a kidnapping charge related to an attempted abduction over the weekend.
Scott Eugene Gensler, 51, pleaded not guilty to one felony charge of kidnapping at his arraignment in the 86th District Court.
The charges stem from an attempted abduction of a woman at the Meijer gas station parking lot at 3965 U.S. 31 in Garfield Township early Sunday morning, police said.
“Frankly, it’s the type of crime that terrorizes a community,” Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg said.
Magistrate Tammi Rodgers set a $500,000 cash and/or surety bond. If released, Gensler would be placed under house arrest and would not be allowed to reside in a residence with children under the age of 18. In addition, use of drugs, alcohol or weapons are prohibited and he is barred from making contact with the victim.
Moeggenberg asked for a bond of at least $500,000, based on the “extremely violent” nature of the crime, and said that it “could have been much worse if a bystander hadn’t stopped it, thwarted the plan.”
Prosecution of this case is likely, she said, since the incident was caught on surveillance cameras.
The high bond helps to ensure that Gensler “remains where he is,” Moeggenberg said.
Defense Attorney Janet Mistele said bond is meant to assure that a defendant, upon release, will appear in court and not harm anyone in the community. In Gensler’s case, he has no prior criminal history. She requested a “more reasonable” bond.
“We have absolutely no reason to believe that he would not appear as directed by the court,” she said.
Gensler has some ties to the community, was raised in Lake Ann and has family in the area, but Rodgers said those ties were “limited.”
The magistrate also expressed concern that he has had a history of moving around on a regular basis. Rodgers said the nature and severity of the allegations and the likelihood of conviction and possible sentence in this case were contributing factors to the bond.
Police say Gensler fled the scene before Grand Traverse Central Dispatch received a call about the attempted kidnapping. Witnesses had a description of the man, his license plate and the last known direction of travel.
Michigan State Police at the Traverse City Post and the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office canvassed the area.
At 10:05 a.m. deputies were driving east on US-31, approaching Chums Corner, when they saw a car matching the description of the vehicle that fled the scene. It was heading west on US-31 and they were able to confirm the license plate, Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Jon Morgan said.
They turned around and then located the car heading north on East Commerce Drive. They stopped Gensler’s car and he was arrested without incident, Morgan said.
State police expressed appreciation to Grand Traverse Central Dispatch, Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Department, and the citizens on scene for their help during the incident.
Gensler’s next court appearance is a probable cause conference scheduled for Dec. 9, which is to be followed by a Dec. 16 preliminary examination.