Woman Held Captive On I-87 In Upstate New York; Arrests Made

The New York State Police arrested two men last week after police learned that they had taken a woman against her will while traveling on I-87, also known as the New York State Thruway.

Held Against Her Will

Police say that on January 2, 2025, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Troopers responded to the Ulster Travel Plaza on Interstate 87 South for a report "of a 27-year-old woman being held against her will."

According to the report from the New York State Police, the vehicle was gone when they responded to the scene, and  State Police said the two men and the unnamed victim continued southbound on Interstate 87.

According to the report, Troopers were able to locate the vehicle in Orange County, NY, and they also located the 27-year-old female victim from Utica, NY.

Thankfully, she was unharmed, and State Police in New York haven't explained a motive for what the two men did.

Both Men Charged Were From Utica

The New York State Police, Troop F Bureau of Criminal Investigation, reported the arrests of Jeffrey D. Blount, age 34, of Utica, NY, and Kevin Smalls, age 31, of Utica, NY, following an incident at the Ulster Travel Plaza Interstate 87, known as the New York State Thruway.

State Police say the two men knew the woman they apprehended, and there's no fear or concern for the public's safety regarding the individuals arrested.

The two men were charged with:

• Blount was arrested without incident and charged with Unlawful Imprisonment in the 2nd Degree (A misdemeanor).
• Smalls was also arrested without incident and charged with Forcible Touching (A misdemeanor).
• Blount was arraigned at the Ulster County Court Centralized Arraignment Part and released on his recognizance.
• Smalls was issued an Appearance Ticket to appear in the Town of Ulster Court on January 7, 2025.