Man Indicted After Kidnapped New Jersey Woman Rescued In Plaistow

BRENTWOOD, NH — The Rockingham County grand jury has indicted a man charged with kidnapping a woman from New Jersey while threatening her with a firearm in April. The victim was rescued at a Plaistow gas station after asking for help. The New Jersey man charged with kidnapping her, James Edward Bootsma, 49, was arrested April 28 after struggling with police.

According to the indictments issued at Rockingham County Superior Court this month, Bootsma confined the woman in his vehicle and drove her from New Jersey to Plaistow on April 28, showing her the gun when she said she wanted to go home. According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, the kidnapping victim was rescued after asking a clerk for help at the Irving gas station in Plaistow.

When police arrived and attempted to arrest him in the Irving parking lot, Bootsma struggled with officers over a firearm that was in his pocket and was yelling for police to shoot and kill him, according to the indictments. Police used stun guns and pepper spray during Bootsma's arrest, according to the Eagle-Tribune. The weapon he had was a .45 caliber Springfield semi-automatic that later was found to be unloaded, the newspaper reported.

Bootsma has been indicted on kidnapping and criminal restraint charges against the New Jersey woman and two reckless conduct charges in connection with the police struggle. Each charge is a Class B felony that carries the maximum possible sentence of 3 1/2 to 7 years in prison if Bootsma is convicted.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt; rather, it means a grand jury has found sufficient evidence in the case to warrant a trial.