Creep admits to abusing 9-year-old girl after kidnapping her from NY campground
An upstate New York creep admitted Wednesday that he molested a 9-year-old girl after plucking her from a Saratoga County campground last year — and now he faces 47 years behind bars.
Craig Ross, 46, pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree kidnapping and predatory sexual assault of a child in the horrific case that saw the young girl snatched while riding her bike at the Moreau Lake State Park on Sept. 30, setting off a massive manhunt for the missing girl.
It ended two days later when she was found alive in a trailer in the backyard of Ross’s mother’s home.
“With the guilty plea today of Craig N. Ross, Jr., the victim and their family were able to hear the defendant admit his guilt to these heinous and despicable acts,” Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen said in a statement Wednesday.
“His admission of guilt ends the question of who was responsible for the kidnapping that rallied our entire community together to assist in locating her,” Heggern said.
“He will serve decades in prison before any parole consideration is available to him.”
Ross was nabbed after driving the child home in the middle of the night several days after taking her to leave a ransom note in the mailbox, police said.
The Milton resident, who asked for $50,000 for the girl’s return, was spotted leaving the note by a state trooper who was keeping an eye on the house at the time.
Cops ran the fingerprinting on the note, which matched Ross from a 1999 drunk driving arrest in Saratoga Springs.
“There was a ransom note and that was instrumental in leading us directly to the suspect,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said at the time.
“His fingerprint was already in the database.”
The girl was found inside the cupboard in the bedroom of Ross’s camper, which is about 13 miles from her home.
He’s been holed up at Saratoga County Jail since his Oct. 2 arrest.
The girl was returned to her family after the ordeal and was “in good health,” police said at the time.
Ross copped a sentence of 25 years to life on the kidnapping charge and 22 years to life on the sexual assault charge, with prosecutors saying he “engaged in sexual intercourse” with the girl.
Ross was also investigated for claims that he abused a 12-year-old family friend but was not charged in that case, according to reports.
A 100-year order of protection was issued for the victim.
Ross will be sentenced on April 17.
