JACKSON – A Gaston man has been and placed in the Northampton County Jail on $30,000 secured bond on first-degree kidnapping charges and a $2,500 cash bond for a charge that he allegedly assaulted a female.

According to Northampton County Detective Brenda Burnette, the 23-year old suspect, Carl Lee Avent Jr. of 717 James Jones Road in Gaston, and 32-year old Monika Shenise Brown of Lot 33 Happy Drive in Roanoke Rapids got into an argument just prior to the alleged assault.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. September 16 when Brown had allegedly been taken, against her will, from the defendant’s residence to a nearby path in back of the house where she was repeatedly assaulted.

Sustaining only minor injuries, the victim drove herself to Halifax Regional Medical Center where hospital technicians performed a cat scan on her.

&uot;Fortunately, there were no fractures,&uot; said Burnette.

Brown did, however, have minor scratches and bruises on her face, but was released from care very early the following morning.

&uot;We don’t know the nature of the argument at this time, but further investigation is pending,&uot; she said.

Avent is scheduled for a probably cause hearing October 7.