The charges against Alexander Jamond Ezell, 25, were lodged following a report around 12:05 this morning a child was missing from a residence on Cloverleaf Drive, Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp said in a statement.

Detective Matt Brown began investigating and learned Ezell broke into the front door of the victim’s residence and removed a child.

Tripp said this evening Ezell lived in the same neighborhood as the victim.

The child was found at Ezell’s residence and transported to Halifax Regional for further medical treatment.

What was alleged to have happened to the child, Tripp said this evening, was determined through investigation and resulted in charges of attempted statutory rape and indecent liberties counts with a minor being filed. 

Deputies later found Ezell hiding in the woods behind his residence on Cloverleaf Drive, a short time after the sheriff’s office began its investigation, Tripp said. The sheriff declined comment on the timeframe.

Ezell was located after a search by sheriff’s office canine handler Corporal A. Holland and his dog Torro.

In addition to the sex offenses, Ezell was charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree kidnapping, abduction of a child, injury to real property and resisting arrest.Tripp could not say what prompted the abduction.

According to the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry, Ezell was placed on the list at age 13 for the sexual battery of a 5-year-old.

Ezell was placed in the Halifax County Detention Center under a $505,000 secured bond and has a July 12 court date pending.