Police arrest dad and his mother in abduction of Bogota daughter

CLIFFVIEW PILOT EXCLUSIVE: Police in Bethlehem, Pa. arrested a convicted 25-year-old drug dealer less than six hours after he snatched his 2-year-old daughter from her Bogota home. She was returned safely to her mother early this morning, Bogota Police Chief John C. Burke told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.

Robert M. Jackson

(PHOTO courtesy Bogota PD)

Robert M. Jackson of Paterson and his mother, who also was arrested, face charges of interference with custody, the chief said.

Bail for the younger Jackson is set at $50,000 cash. Bail for Carole Jackson, 48, is $10,000, which she can secure with $1,000.

Jackson is due to be sentenced Feb. 24 in Sussex County after he admitted selling heroin within 500 feet of Newton High School, records show. He faces up to seven years in prison, under a plea bargain.

Bogota Capt. James Sepp and Detectives Jonathan Misskerg and Geoffrey Cole immediately began working the case after the 22-year-old mother reported the parental abduction just after 5 o'clock tonight.

Jackson had gone to her apartment, where he found her roommate babysitting while waiting for the toddler's mother to come home from classes at Ramapo College, she told them.

Carole Jackson

(MUGSHOT courtesy Bogota PD)

Jackson apparently wasn't happy with the fact that the child's maternal grandmother had also been caring for her, Burke told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.

"He told her he was taking the girl," the chief said. "Then he took off."

Carole Jackson, who lives in Pennsylvania, was already en route when the blow-up occurred, Burke said.

"It looks like there may have been some preconceived plan," he said.

The mother exchanged texts with Jackson, hoping to reason with him, Burke said. But he refused to turn around.

Bogota detectives were already on their way to Pennsylvania when the call came in that the three had been located.