Montgomery County Police arrested a Virginia man on Aug. 25 after he allegedly met with a 12-year-old Bethesda resident and pointed a gun at the juvenile’s family members through the back window of his car.
Nathan Samuel Portnoy, 23, of the 2100 block of Emilys Lane in Falls Church, Va., carried on a three-month online and phone relationship with the 12-year-old female resident of Bethesda, police said on Friday. The juvenile portrayed herself as an adult during online conversations with Portnoy, police said.
Portnoy discussed having sexual intercourse with the juvenile in several phone calls and suggested they meet, according to police.
Police say that on Aug. 24, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Portnoy met the victim near her home in Bethesda and the two played soccer at a park. Portnoy suggested that the two go to dinner and the victim entered Portnoy’s vehicle, according to police.
The juvenile then asked Portnoy to stop the car so she could get out. Police say the juvenile’s family members were driving in the area at the time and saw her get out of Portnoy’s car. They began following Portnoy, until he pointed a gun at them through the back window of his car, police said. The family then called the authorities.
Montgomery County police officers arrested Portnoy the next day as he was driving near his Falls Church home. On Aug. 30, officers obtained a search warrant to search his vehicle and found a loaded handgun, ammunition, gun holsters, handcuffs, zip ties, rope, a black ski mask and several boxes of condoms.
Police have charged Portnoy, awaiting extradition to Montgomery County, with first degree assault, kidnapping of a child under 16 and sexual solicitation of a minor.