Police Say N.J. Man Had Girlfriend Locked Up for Years

Found woman padlocked in room while searching for drugs.

Police searching an apartment for drugs found a woman they believe was kept padlocked in a bedroom for long periods of time over the last several years—perhaps as long as a decade.

State police said members of their street gang unit discovered the 44-year-old woman on Thursday as they searched the Paterson home of 42-year-old Michael Mendez, believed to be a member of the Latin Kings street gang.