Investigators said a revolver, ammunition, handcuffs and two folding knives were recovered after a Borden man was taken into custody.
SALEM, Ind. — A Washington County attempted kidnapping investigation is moving to prosecutors after deputies arrested a 53-year-old Borden man and reported recovering a firearm, ammunition, handcuffs and knives following an encounter with a teenage girl outside her home.
Jeffrey Allen Mauck was taken into custody Friday, Oct. 23, after deputies responded around 4:30 p.m. to North Naugle Road in Salem. The Washington County Sheriff’s Department said Mauck allegedly grabbed the girl, threatened her with a gun and tried to force her into his vehicle. The girl resisted and screamed, bringing family members outside.
The case now rests with the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office for review and consideration of formal charges. Law enforcement listed preliminary allegations of attempted kidnapping, criminal confinement, aggravated battery and pointing a firearm, all felonies, along with a misdemeanor allegation of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Those allegations remain preliminary unless and until prosecutors formally file criminal charges. An arrest is not a finding of guilt, and the evidence described by investigators has not been tested in court. Authorities have not announced a motive or said whether Mauck and the girl knew each other before the incident.
According to investigators, the teenager was outside her residence when Mauck approached her. Police said he grabbed her and threatened her with a gun while attempting to get her into his vehicle. She fought to get free and called for help, authorities said.
Relatives who heard the commotion came outside and intervened. The sheriff’s department said family members detained Mauck until deputies arrived. Authorities have not disclosed additional details about that confrontation or said whether anyone required treatment because of the struggle.
During the investigation, authorities reported recovering a revolver, ammunition, handcuffs and two folding knives. Officials have not publicly detailed where the items were located, whether forensic testing is planned or what significance investigators believe each item may have to the case. Their presence is part of the evidence prosecutors can review in deciding what charges are supported.
Mauck was taken to a local hospital before he was booked into the Washington County Detention Center. The sheriff’s department did not publicly explain the reason for the hospital visit beyond reports that he was taken there before entering the jail.
Sheriff Brent Miller described the allegations as extremely disturbing and credited the girl’s resistance and her family’s quick response. The department has not released the teenager’s identity, a standard precaution that also limits public exposure of a minor involved in a violent-crime investigation.
The prosecutor’s review is the next publicly confirmed step. As of Monday, authorities had not announced whether formal charges had been filed or released additional findings about the alleged attempted abduction.
Author note: Last updated October 26, 2026.