Apr 1, 2026, 6:21 AM

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Updated

A Georgia man faces life in prison after federal prosecutors charged him with kidnapping and shooting his former girlfriend during a Christmas Eve trip to New York and New Jersey.

Jovan Young, 37, of Jonesboro, Georgia, appeared in Newark federal court Wednesday. He is charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was ordered detained pending further proceedings.

According to the federal complaint, Young and the victim—identified in previous local reports as 18-year-old India Heath—were traveling from Georgia to New York on Dec. 24, 2025, to visit her family for the holidays. While driving through New York, the pair engaged in a dispute that turned violent.

Prosecutors allege Young pulled out a handgun and shot the victim in the abdomen, causing injuries that have left her paralyzed.

Following the shooting, Young allegedly drove the victim into New Jersey against her will, keeping her trapped in the vehicle for several hours. He eventually abandoned her on the side of the road in Denville, where she was discovered by law enforcement near the intersection of Old Boonton Road and Pocono Road.

Young was arrested the following day in Boonton. At the time of his arrest, officers recovered a 9mm handgun equipped with a green laser, matching the description the victim provided to investigators.

The kidnapping charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, while the weapons charge carries a maximum of 15 years. Young had previously faced state-level charges in Morris County, including endangering an injured person and possession of hollow-point ammunition.