62-year-old Henri Michele Piette was arrested for keeping his stepdaughter prisoner for 19 years. Source: FOX23 News
Police arrested a man in Mexico after he was accused of raping his underage stepdaughter, marrying her, and keeping her captive for nearly two decades.
Officials arrested 62-year-old Henri Michele Piette Thursday after he was charged with first-degree rape and other offenses last month for the disturbing crimes, NewsOK reported.
The rape was first said to have taken place at victim Rosalynn McGinnis' residence in Wagoner, Oklahoma - where she lived at the time with her mother and the stepfather, the MailOnline reported.
McGinnis, who is now 33, told People Piette kidnapped her from school at the early age of 12 years old after her mother left him following the sexual abuse.
Rosalynn McGinnis (left) with Henri Piette -when he threw her a quinceañera for her 13th birthday. Photo / People TV
McGinnis told investigators Piette previously 'married' her in a van already at 11 and even gave her a ring, court affidavits said, according to the local newspaper.
He kidnapped McGinnis under her will and took her to Mexico with him where she would be held under captivity for 19 years of her life.
The victim - who finally fled in June 2016 - has since come forward to share her story after she successfully escaped with eight of her children.
The ninth child previously escaped, but is now reunited with the family.
McGinnis told investigators Piette 'married' her in a van already at 11 and even gave her a ring. Photo / Handout
While the bizarre story does not clarify whether or not the victim's children were Piette's, an FBI agent said in the court affidavit McGinnis was introduced to Piette's "other children as their new mother."
The agent added that the family "began traveling to numerous locations throughout the United States and abroad including ... Texas, Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico."
While being held captive in Mexico, McGinnis revealed she was repeatedly 'raped, beaten and tortured' while living in a remote village.
"McGinnis stated that she was sexually assaulted multiple times a day almost every day while she was with Piette," the court affidavits said.
McGinnis told her story in an interview with PeopleTV this week, after she escaped captivity in Mexico in June 2016. Photo / People TV
It wasn't until she had been recovering from gallbladder removal surgery last year that she decided she needed a way out once and for all.
As she was recovering, Piette reportedly ordered her to complete strenuous housework and other chores.
That's when McGinnis knew a change needed to be made for the sake of her children and self.
"I knew that if I didn't get out of there, I'd either go insane or I would end up dying and leaving my kids with that man,' she told People in this week's issue.
"She grabbed what few funds she had earned and, that June, paid for a taxi to take her and her children to Oaxaca City, Mexico, where she made a call that would change her life," the report said.
In June of last year, McGinnis was able to get in contact with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
The family then made their way to the U.S. Embassy and fled the country.
FBI officials confirmed Piette "has resided in Mexico and Central America for a very long time and has deep ties to criminal organizations in Mexico," according to NewsOK.
Jack Thorp, the Wagoner County District Attorney, said in a statement Friday the "excellent work" of FBI officials "has aided in the capture and extradition of the fugitive Henri Piette."
The complicated investigation will play out further in coming months.
