Federal charges filed after missing Utah teen found in Oregon

Federal authorities have charged 39-year-old Adam Hunter Harmel in connection with the alleged captivity of a missing Utah teenager, the New York Post reported. Kylie Arellano, who is now 17 years old, was found safe in Oregon, according to reports from NBC News, The Guardian, and NewsNation. [1][2][4][6]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Arellano vanished from Garden City, Utah, on May 29, 2025, when she was 15 years old. She was located safe in Oregon in the company of a 39-year-old man after a search lasting more than 500 days that involved state officials and the FBI. [1][11]

Court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital and reported by the New York Post state that Harmel confined the teenager to a basement where they shared a bed. The documents allege that Harmel became very violent and aggressive, repeatedly beating the teenager during her captivity. [1]

The New York Post and KOIN.com both report that court documents detail how Harmel allegedly forced the teenager to remove her dental braces using pliers. Authorities state that this was done to hide her identity and prevent her from being identified. [1][3]