The man at the center of Monday's AMBER Alert out of Pasco County is now facing more charges in Hillsborough County.
Deputies say the kidnapping began at a home in Odessa. That's where authorities say 50-year-old Haralampos Savopoulos argued with a woman, destroyed her phone and hit her and a young child multiple times.
Savopoulos then forced the woman and child into a car and drove into Pasco County, investigators said. The woman told detectives she feared for the 9-year-old boy's life. After about two hours, authorities say the woman managed to escape.
She got help, and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office activated an AMBER Alert. The child was found safe. And, Savopoulos was arrested on charges in Pasco. Now, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is piling on its own charges.
"We are charging this man with several felonies he also committed in Hillsborough County," Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "The pain and suffering he caused to two innocent victims will lead to serious consequences. The victims felt helpless, but I applaud the adult victim for gaining the courage to fight for their lives and find help."
Savopoulos is charged with aggravated battery with great bodily harm, child abuse, criminal mischief of $200 or less and two counts of kidnapping.
Court records show Savopoulos has prior arrests dating back to 2009. He was recently arrested and released in April and charged with battery on a person 65 or older, false imprisonment and tampering with a witness.
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