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Man’s $500K bail reduced to $50K for attempted kidnapping

A Morgantown man being held on attempted kidnapping charges had his bond reduced from $500,000 to $50,000 on Tuesday.

Felix Nahun Reyes Galeas, 31, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday afternoon. While that hearing was waived, Magistrate Sandy Holepit did allow the bond reduction — albeit not to the $25,000 amount Galeas’ attorney, Thomas Kroger, requested.

Prosecutor Stephen Fitz said the bond issue may be irrelevant as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has assigned a deportation officer to the case. Fitz said Galeas is from Honduras.

“So, whether we have a $25,000 bond or a $500,000 bond, ICE may be putting a hold on him shortly,” Fitz said.

Galeas was arrested  June 27, when he allegedly tried to take a 1-year-old  boy away from his mother in the J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital emergency room.

According to information put out by the city, Galeas did not know the child, who was not harmed in the incident.

When officers with the Morgantown Police Department arrived at the hospital shortly after midnight, security had already detained Galeas.

Fitz said it appears the issue may be mental health related as Galeas was a patient in the hospital when the incident occurred.

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