A man arrested last week in San Diego after spending more than a decade living under an assumed identity has been identified as Brian Anthony Williams, wanted in connection with a 2012 kidnapping case in Iowa. Williams, who had been working as the head chef at Miss B’s Coconut Club in Mission Beach under the name Troy Williams, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service without incident.

Williams, now 50, allegedly participated in the kidnapping of a woman who was reportedly his girlfriend at the time. According to authorities, the victim was shot in the leg and left in a field in Davenport, Iowa, in October 2012. Local reports indicate that Williams and three others conspired to stage their own abductions alongside hers. Later that year, he faced charges including kidnapping, assault, conspiracy to commit a felony, and first-degree arson. The following year, Williams was charged in the Southern District of Iowa with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Authorities say Williams lived under a fabricated identity, and much of his personal history, including his name, was falsified. His true identity came to light following interviews and media exposure, leading U.S. Marshals to locate him last month. U.S. Marshal Ted Kamatchus of the Southern District of Iowa described the arrest as a clear example of law enforcement’s persistence in apprehending fugitives.

Williams had worked at Miss B’s Coconut Club for approximately 10 years, serving as head chef for the majority of that period. The restaurant’s general manager, Eddie Jurado, expressed shock upon learning of Williams’ true identity, describing their close working relationship and noting that they had been roommates for a time. Pete Cich, managing partner of the restaurant, called the arrest “deeply unsettling” and extended sympathy to those affected by the events.

Williams’ extradition to Iowa is pending as federal authorities prepare to transfer him for prosecution. The restaurant has not issued an official statement responding to requests for comment. Following the arrest, the media outlet that previously featured Williams under his assumed name appended an editor’s note disclosing the new developments in the case.