On Friday, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced that charges had been filed in the case of an alleged kidnapping of a 17-year-old girl that took place at a BART station last week.
Jamall Ali Blue, 37, is now facing one count of kidnapping by force or fear and one count of sexual battery, and he will be arraigned Friday afternoon. The San Francisco resident was arrested shortly after the kidnapping, and police believe he and the victim knew each other and this was not a random incident.
"I would like to thank the BART Police and San Francisco Police Department for their successful collaboration to identify a suspect and make an arrest in this case," said Jenkins in a statement. "There is absolutely zero tolerance for these acts in the City and County of San Francisco. Our most vulnerable must be protected, and when they are targeted and preyed upon, the perpetrators will be held accountable."
The incident took place around 8 pm on Monday, July 1, at Powell Street Station, though we did not learn of it until a week later, and initial reports suggested it had just occurred this week (this BART release from July 10 did not contain any dates, for instance). This was the same night (July 1), and in the same BART station, where a 74-year-old woman was pushed to her death, only three hours after the kidnapping.
Witnesses corroborated what was seen on surveillance video, and BART police worked with the SFPD to locate the suspect. Blue was found in a vehicle associated with the kidnapping about seven hours later in San Francisco, at 3 am on July 2, and he was arrested.
The victim was reportedly found safe later that morning.
There have been numerous reports and arrests in recent years relating to the sex-trafficking of minors in the Bay Area, but these have primarily been confined to the East Bay. Alameda and Contra Costa county authorities work together on an annual sting operation which last August netted 9 arrests and rescued 21 sex trafficking victims.
It's not entirely clear that this was a case of sex trafficking, but as KRON4 reports via BART police, the teenage girl reportedly knew the man, and had not arrived in the BART station by train. She arrived by car and was then taken, suggesting she may have been trying to escape a situation she was in.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about the kidnapping on July 1 is asked to call the BART Police tip line at 510-464-7000.
Previously: Teen Found Safe After SF BART Station Kidnapping
Photo: Kace Rodriguez