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Man faces 7 kidnap charges
Officials say he tried to grab kids from an apartment complex.
By ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published March 30, 2007
TAMPA - The stranger walked up to pairs of girls and a boy. He offered bicycles, money and clothes if the kids would go with him, investigators say. Each time, the children said no. The man then grabbed arms and pulled, trying to drag kids away, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Deputies arrested Martin Jay Lieberman, a homeless 56-year-old former car salesman with a history of mental problems, and accused him of trying to kidnap seven children from an east Tampa apartment complex. Lieberman walked into the 324-unit Wexford Apartments near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, deputies say. He approached children as they played outside, deputies say. When they wouldn't go with him, he tried to pull them inside different areas of the complex, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. The children were not injured. Witnesses called the Sheriff's Office, and deputies arrested Lieberman in front of the apartment management office. He was taken to the Hillsborough County jail, where he was held Thursday without bail. He faces seven counts of kidnapping, one charge of lewd or lascivious behavior and six counts of luring or enticing a child, records show. Investigators added the lewd or lascivious behavior charge after a boy said Lieberman rubbed his back, Carter said. Deputies say Lieberman did not seem intoxicated. He has no history of crimes against children, and he is not a registered sex offender, Carter said. He has been arrested six times in Florida, mostly on drug possession charges, records show. Kathy Lieberman of Apollo Beach said her brother-in-law has struggled with drug abuse, addiction and depression for several years. News researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Abbie VanSickle can be reached at 226-3373 or vansickle@sptimes.com.
[Last modified March 29, 2007, 22:46:09]
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by Moe
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04/02/07 11:48 AM
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Funny how it's so easy to generalize. Not every homeless person is a junkie or mental case. Get a clue.
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by ashley
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03/30/07 11:20 PM
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this was at my apartment complex and i had no clue! The apartments never notified anyone!
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by John
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03/30/07 12:37 PM
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Remember, the advocates say we're supposed to coddle and care for the homeless. Nevermind if they rob us, defile our property or kidnap our kids, we still need to build them free houses and care for them indefinetly at taxpayer expense, right? WRONG!
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