COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A deputy from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office rescued a woman from a home in Coventry Township Tuesday who authorities say had been kidnapped, held against her will and raped.
John Lent, 60, has been charged with rape and kidnapping, both first-degree felonies, according to the sheriff's office.
Authorities said this is not Lent's first run-in with the law. He has prior convictions of aggravated assault, burglary, drug possession and is a Tier III Sex Offender in the State of Ohio.
Authorities said that the deputy responded after the department received two 911 calls about a woman being held against her will in a basement at a house on Swartz Road.
"She texted a friend and let her know where she was at. Her friend called 911," Inspector Bill Holland said. "She was being held captive in a basement."
When the deputy arrived at the home, he was met by an elderly man who said there wasn’t a woman inside. The deputy then called out “Sheriff’s Office” while standing in the front doorway. That’s when the deputy heard a woman downstairs start screaming, authorities said.
Moments later, a partially clothed woman ran up the flight of stairs from the basement. Another man, who was running up behind her, tried to grab her and drag her back down the stairs.
"They did know each other," Holland said. "So it wasn't a stranger abduction or anything of that nature."
The deputy intervened and Lent was taken into custody. He was then transported to the Summit County Jail.
Holland said it's difficult to predict how the situation would have played out had the woman not been able to signal a friend for help.
"That was a good thing that she did that," Holland said. "I don't know that that was his motive or, you know, what the end game was, but we were able to intervene as early as possible and get her out of that house."
Authorities said they determined that two elderly men, who were inside of the home, were unaware of the woman being kept in the basement.
The woman was treated at a nearby hospital for injuries related to the sexual assault.
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