Wagoner County deputies, FBI, tribal police searching for suspect in kidnapping case

By John Dobberstein, Editor

Authorities are searching for a suspect who allegedly kidnapped and severely beat his ex-girlfriend before having a family member drive her to the hospital.

On Thursday, Wagoner County Sheriff’s Investigator Ben Noble responded to a local hospital in reference to a female with extensive injuries with no memory of how she became that way, the department said.

After investigation it was determined that on the night before, the victim was brutally beaten by her ex-boyfriend James Garbey at her home in Wagoner County.

Garbey then kidnapped the victim from her residence by forcing her at knife point into his vehicle, and fleeing the area, the Sheriff’s Department said

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The abuse continued throughout the night, deputies said, until Garbey contacted a family member and asked them to pick the victim up from their lake house in the Grand Lake area of Delaware County.

The family member picked the victim up and drove her to a local hospital, where they dropped her off and then fled the area, authorities said.

The sheriff’s department said Garbey is a registered Level 3 Sex Offender and has a lengthy criminal history. He is known to be violent towards women he is involved with romantically and to carry weapons.

Garbey is described as a Native American male, 5 feet 10 inches tall and 225lbs with brown hair (balding), brown eyes, a goatee or beard facial hair and multiple tattoos covering both arms, neck, face, chest, stomach and back (some tattoos pictured in this post).

A warrant for Garbey’s arrest was authorized by a Muscogee Creek Nation judge for domestic assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

The FBI, Wagoner County Sheriff’s Department and tribal police are searching for Garbey. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office at 918-485-3124.