Hanoverton man charged with abduction, accused of removing shale - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

HANOVERTON, Ohio - A Columbiana County man is charged with felony abduction after allegedly removing a worker related to the shale drilling industry from his property at gunpoint.

Fifty-four-year-old David Bernet was released from the Columbiana County jail at about 1:30 p.m. on Thursday on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.

Bernet's accused of pulling a loaded 22-revolver on the man, forcing him in to his pick-up truck and then driving him to the sheriff's department where he told a deputy he wanted the worker charged with trespassing.

This all happened Tuesday evening just prior to 7:00 p.m.

According to the aheriff, Bernet was upset that the worker failed to give him 24-hours notice prior to showing up at his property located on U.S. Route 30 in Hanoverton.

Sheriff Ray Stone said, "According to the report, Mr. Bernet took the individual at gunpoint in his pick-up truck and drove him to our office."

Bernet arrived at the sheriff's department with the worker who was dressed in official work attire, and Bernat told a deputy, "I caught him trespassing. You deal with it." But the sheriff's department began asking questions and after receiving consent to search Bernet's truck found a loaded 22 caliber revolver along with other weapons.

"You just can't take someone at gunpoint and take them to the sheriff's department or anywhere else. That's against the law to take someone against their will," Sheriff Stone said.

The sheriff said there have been numerous complaints in Columbiana County about trespassers because of all of the shale activity, but they've never had anyone go this far and take someone at gunpoint.

"The sensible thing would be to call the sheriff's office, maybe keep an eye on him, block his vehicle if he thought he had a vehicle he was going to get away in or something," Stone said.