Alleged California kidnapper’s lawyer: Wife fabricated crimes because couple was breaking up

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The attorney for a man charged with abducting a California teen 10 years ago and forcing her into marriage says her claims of physical and sexual abuse are lies made up because the couple is breaking up.

Attorney Charles Frisco said Thursday outside a brief court hearing that his client, Isidro Medrano Garcia, denies all the allegations, never hit his wife, and would never have prevented her from leaving.

Garcia was charged earlier Thursday with five felony counts, including rape and kidnapping to commit a sexual offence.

The woman, now 25, came forward this week and told police that Garcia had abducted her, and then through physical, mental and sexual abuse, kept her from reuniting with her family since her 2004 disappearance.

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