Man charged with kidnapping, coke possession after Elizabeth standoff

ELIZABETH — The man who held his girlfriend's 6-year-old son hostage on Sunday faces kidnapping and drug charges.

LeRoy Boyd, 38, of Elizabeth, barricaded himself inside his girlfriend's apartment in the Mravlag Manor public housing complex in the city's Bayway section around 9 a.m. after a domestic violence incident, according to acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park and Elizabeth Police Department Deputy Chief John Brennan.

He refused to speak with Elizabeth Police hostage negotiators until early afternoon. The incident came to a peaceful end around 2 p.m. when the suspect surrendered and the boy was found to be in good condition, according to Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage.

The man is not related to the boy.

Boyd was charged with second-degree kidnapping and third-degree possession of cocaine. He is being held at Union County Jail pending a first appearance in the case. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted on the kidnapping charge.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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