Police: Ohio woman accuses New Kensington man she met on Facebook of holding her captive in basement

A New Kensington man was arrested after a woman from Ohio told police the man stole her cellphone and kept her captive in his basement for several hours when she visited him after meeting on Facebook.

Steven Daniel Best Jr., 39, of the 200 block of Fifth Avenue was charged with felony counts of kidnapping and robbery along with simple assault.

He was released from custody on a $50,000 unsecured bond and faces a preliminary hearing Thursday, Jan. 26 before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr.

New Kensington police wrote in Best’s arrest papers they contacted the woman Dec. 20 after receiving a call from the Hubbard City, Ohio, police department.

The woman told police that, after connecting with Best on social media, she traveled from Hubbard to New Kensington on Dec. 18 to meet in person, according to his arrest papers.

She told police that, during their meeting, Best became irate because she would not tell him that she loved him and got “very possessive” when she wanted to leave, the complaint said.

The woman told investigators Best prevented her from leaving from the two exits on the first floor.

Best’s roommate, who was in the house, stepped out of his room to see what was happening but turned around and went back inside without calling police, the complaint said.

The woman told police she begged the roommate for help, but Best lifted her up, took the cellphone from her pocket and “threw her downstairs in the basement,” according to police.

The woman told investigators that, when she tried to run back up the stairs, Best pulled her back down by her legs.

She told police she also tried to escape from a door at the other end of the basement, but Best blocked her exit and slammed it shut on her arm, injuring her wrist.

When she pleaded with Best to release her, he said: “I’ll never let you go. You are never gonna leave me,” according to his arrest papers.

The woman told police, after being in the basement for more than three hours, she was able to trick Best into returning her cellphone by saying she would stay with him.

Police said the woman was able to get out of the house but did not provide details in court papers about how she escaped.

The woman returned to New Kensington several days after speaking to police to file a written statement detailing her ordeal, according to authorities.