The alleged kidnapper of 9-year-old Charlotte Sena made a bonehead move to get caught … leaving a ransom note with his fingerprint on it at the girl’s home.
Craig Nelson Ross Jr. was arrested Monday evening after a 2-day frantic police search for Sena, who was abducted while on a camping trip with her family in upstate New York.
Cops say Sena was biking through Moreau Lake State Park Saturday evening, when she was snatched — and her cycle was later discovered by authorities, launching the quest to find her.
Investigators caught a huge break early Monday morning when they staked out Sena’s house and spotted a man driving up in a car, getting out and stuffing the ransom note into the mailbox.
The man — suspected to be Ross — jumped back into his vehicle and drove away.
Officers then retrieved the note from the mailbox and lifted a fingerprint off it. The print was later matched to one already on file for Ross after his 1999 arrest for driving while intoxicated.
Cops then raided Ross’s camper in nearby Milton, NY, placing him under arrest and finding Sena in a kitchen cabinet.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced at a press conference Sena was in good health, but was still taken to a hospital to be evaluated.
Ross has been charged with first-degree kidnapping.
We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
