ORLANDO, Fla. – A Florida man was arrested after police received a tip Friday about a possible kidnapping threat to singer Lana Del Rey, according to the Orlando Police Department.
The threats were reportedly made by Michael Hunt, 43, who is a resident of Riverview, Florida, police said. Detectives considered the information a credible threat and took investigative measures to find Hunt.
[WATCH BELOW: Accused Lana Del Rey stalker appears before judge]
Del Rey, whose real name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, was scheduled to perform Friday at the Amway Center. Police said officers came into contact Friday evening with Hunt at Hughey Avenue and Central Boulevard, one block from the venue.
Hunt was in possession of tickets to the performance and he also had a knife when he was taken into custody, according to Orlando police. At no time was he able to make contact with Del Rey, police said.
Hunt was booked into the Orange County Jail.
ARRESTED: Michael Hunt, for aggravated stalking & attempted kidnapping w/a weapon.
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) February 3, 2018
After receiving a tip we deemed a credible threat, OPD got to him before he could get near singer Lana Del Rey last night at her show at Amway Center. pic.twitter.com/twVrOSxNqF
Police said the initial charges were aggravated stalking with a credible threat and attempted kidnapping with a weapon, during his first court appearance Sunday, the judge said he could not find probable cause to uphold the attempted kidnapping with a weapon charge.
The judge offered to have a lawyer appointed for him, but Hunt said he didn't need or want one because he believed the truth would set him free, even after being warned that anything he said in court could be used against him.
"I don't speak anything but the truth, sir, so there's nothing that can be held against me 'cause it'll be nothing but the truth," Hunt told the judge.
Hunt told the judge his side of the story, saying he took an Uber from Tampa, where he said he was born, and brought paintings for Lana that he planned to give her until he arrived in Orlando and was taken into custody before he could even get to the Amway Center.
He also told the judge he posted online that he planned to bring paintings to the concert.
"I posted on her Lana Del Ray Nation site, 'I painted some paintings. I'm gonna be at the concert. Look for me.' That's it. My Facebook is completely transparent. You can pull it up. You can read everything that's on it and so can everyone else in the room," Hunt said. "I have nothing to hide."
A prosecutor for the state argued that there was probable cause for the attempted kidnapping charge based on posts published on his Facebook page, but Hunt argued that the posts were innocent.
"Was anything said derogatory as far as bodily harm or anything to be done by her? All I heard was 'Love, love, love' and 'Queen, queen, queen,'" Hunt said to the judge regarding the posts. "Does that upset someone?"
Though the judge dropped the attempted kidnapping charge, he emphasized that the aggravated stalking charge was still a serious charge.
"The lady doesn't know me," Hunt said. "How could it possibly be a serious charge if me and her has never met each other and everything is out in the front?"
Hunt said he didn't know how it was even a charge since he didn't say anything "derogatory or mean."
"Did I want to see her? Yes, I admitted that to you. Do I care for her? Yes. Do I know her? No, I only know her from her songs," Hunt told the judge.
Hunt is being held without bond at the Orange County Jail.
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