Accused Oregon kidnapper 'brazenly' sought more victims, prosecutors allege

SALT LAKE CITY — Newly released details in a federal filing claim the Oregon man accused of kidnapping a Garden City teen and holding her hostage "brazenly" expressed a desire to take other victims. Prosecutors also allege a family member of the kidnapper knew what was happening to the teen and did nothing.

Federal charges accuse Adam Hunter Harmel of holding a Utah teen hostage and assaulting her in his Oregon residence's basement starting in May 2025 until she was recovered by police on Nov. 1.

Harmel presents an "unmanageable risk" if released due to the "ubiquity and ease of access to prepaid cellphones and other internet capable devices" that would allow him to "continue to attempt to entice and abduct minor victims; a desire and will he expressed so brazenly," prosecutors wrote in a motion requesting he be detained pending trial.

Prosecutors accused Harmel of driving from his home in Oregon to Utah to pick up the minor, sexually assaulting her in his car and throwing her phone into a river while driving back to Oregon. Once they were at his residence, the minor was confined to the basement where Harmel kept a knife under his pillow and cornered her at night to prevent her escape, according to federal charges.

"Despite her age, (Harmel) continued to sexually assault (the victim) and kept her for over 17 months. In fact, (the victim)'s age was part of (her) appeal to (Harmel). Defendant indicated to (the victim) that he had a sexual interest in minors, particularly young girls," prosecutors wrote in the motion.

Prosecutors allege Harmel was violent and aggressive with the teen, repeatedly hitting and intimidating her, and forcing the girl to "remove her braces with pliers so that she could not be identified." Harmel also allegedly controlled the teen's communication access by giving her a phone that only worked on WiFi.

Throughout the entire 17-month ordeal, the victim "was not provided necessary medical care during this time, despite going through traumatic medical events," prosecutors said.

Prosecutors further noted that even after confining and assaulting the victim from Utah, "he sought out other minor victims to assault or kill."

"(Harmel) expressed a desire to abduct minors, bind the victims in a tub," sexually assault them, "keep them in empty drawers located in the basement of the house, and to injure or kill them thereafter. There is evidence that (Harmel) attempted to abduct at least one other minor. This evidence has led law enforcement to request information from victims nationwide," prosecutors wrote in the motion for detention.

While Harmel is still being investigated, prosecutors said there is "reason to believe" he was involved in production and distribution of child sex abuse material and enticement and coercion of other minor victims.

Court documents also state at the time Harmel kidnapped the Utah girl, he was subject to a "Protective Order to Prevent Sexual Abuse" due to an ongoing investigation from a sexual assault allegation with a child under the age of 12.

"The conduct in this matter is of the most egregious type and involves long-term physical and emotional abuse, along with intimidation," prosecutors said. "The nature and circumstances surrounding (Harmel)'s repeated and violent conduct toward vulnerable people demonstrate that he is an unmanageable risk to the community."

If Harmel was released prior to the trial, he would likely stay with family members "who have been complicit in his criminal conduct and may have been an accessory after-the-fact to the alleged criminal conduct," the motion for detention states.

"This includes a family member who knew (the victim)'s age, knew that (she) had been transported by (Harmel) to Oregon, and that (she) had been sexually assaulted and required medical attention. This same family member refused to help (the victim) and warned Harmel that law enforcement had arrived at the residence when they arrived to investigate this matter on Nov. 1," the motion states.

The FBI Salt Lake City announced last week that the 17-year-old girl who was reported missing from Garden City in May 2025 had been safely recovered.

The girl was located after the FBI received a tip on Nov. 1 from an individual who had been playing an online game with a user who identified themselves as the missing teen. The girl told the other user said she had met Harmel online and run away with him, but she was now being held against her will and assaulted, charges said.

FBI agents were told by the minor's family that the victim had been groomed on gaming platforms and the grooming "transitioned to other social media applications" where she had sent explicit images and videos to other users in exchange for money, the charges state.

When officers arrived at Harmel's residence and recovered the victim, they located several knives, a machete, evidence of sexual assault and the victim's clothing in the basement, according to the charges.

Harmel, 39, was initially charged by complaint in federal court on Nov. 2 with transportation with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He was indicted with the same charge on Tuesday for "knowingly transport(ing) an individual ... who had not attained the age of 18 years ... with intent that the individual engage in sexual activity," the indictment states.

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