By SYDNEY KENT
Federal charges have been filed against the lead suspect in the kidnapping of an 11-year-old from Zanesville last year.
According to a press release from the Wells County Prosecutor’s office, Zachary Delozier, 27, South Dakota, has been indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana.
The release explained that in order to facilitate the case with the federal government, local charges against Delozier will be dismissed without prejudice.
Delozier and two additional suspects were taken into custody after they were located at a traffic stop in Barneveld, Wisconsin, on New Year’s Eve. Their arrests took place less than 24 hours after a Silver Alert was issued for the missing child in Indiana.
In addition to a Level 5 felony for kidnapping, Delozier was charged with child molesting, a Level 1 felony, child molesting, a Level 2 felony, promotion of child sexual human trafficking, a Level 3 felony, and child solicitation, a Level 4 felony. It is unclear if separate or additional charges will be filed by the federal government.
The additional two South Dakota suspects in the case, Isaiah Schryvers, 24, and Sara Gaudino, 23, appeared in the Wells Circuit Court for separate hearings on Wednesday.
Both Gaudino and Schryvers face a Level 5 felony for kidnapping. Additional charges have not yet been filed.
“We expect more discovery as this case evolves,” Prosecutor Jeff Steinburg said on Wednesday. “There are quite a few moving parts here.”
“The dismissal ‘without prejudice’ allows the Prosecutor’s Office to re-file charges if necessary,” Prosecutor Colin Andrews stated. “On behalf of the Wells County Prosecutor’s office, I would like to thank the Wells County Sheriff, the Bluffton Police Department, and all other state and federal agencies involved in this case for their excellent and professional work.”
Schryvers is scheduled for a pretrial conference in the Wells Circuit Court at 9 a.m. on April 24. Gaudino is scheduled for a pretrial conference at 9 a.m. on May 15.
The News Banner will continue to follow this story for updates.
sydney@news-banner.com
