A bitcoin investor charged with kidnapping and torturing a man in New York City is linked to a similar case in Kentucky, audio of a phone call obtained exclusively by CBS News New York shows.

The call came from a Holiday Inn employee on behalf of the victim's panicked mother in February, months before John Woeltz's arrest in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. 

"She says her son's being held for ransom," the employee at the hotel in Paducah, Kentucky, said to police. 

Son sent texts for help, woman told hotel employee

The woman, a guest at the hotel, had text messages from her son saying he needed help and was being held by people who were heavily armed, according to the employee. The employee used an online translator to read the texts, since the woman spoke mostly German.

"In English, it's saying, they don't want to let me go, bitcoin ... and then it says 'need help, they are armed to the brim,' the employee said on the call. 

The woman said it was only her second time in the U.S. and that her son lives in Switzerland. The two were scheduled to check out the next day, according to the employee. 

The woman did not say who was holding her son for ransom, but said that he was with friends named John and Kayla at a home on Birdsville Road in nearby Smithland.  

"I just relayed all that to the Livingston [County] dispatcher. They advised they are very familiar with the address and the friend," the Paducah dispatcher said. 

After the call, a Paducah officer told emergency dispatchers, "Copy. We're gonna name John Woeltz at that address. I don't know if you have history." 

The Livingston County Sheriff's Office told CBS News New York that they cannot comment or provide records since it is an open case. 

CBS News New York found records showing Woeltz lives at a house on the remote road in Smithland. 

NYPD, Kentucky State Police serve search warrants

Last week, the NYPD joined Kentucky State Police and ATF in serving search warrants at multiple locations in and around Smithland. Police found at least 18 guns while searching another home connected to Woeltz, an NYPD source said. 

Woeltz is not currently facing any additional charges after he and a second suspect pleaded not guilty in New York to charges he kidnapped and tortured an Italian man for 17 days in May. 

Woeltz's attorney argued witnesses told him the accuser in the Manhattan case came and went from the home as he pleased.

A police source said the NYPD was aware of the Kentucky call. Woeltz's attorney has not gotten back to us about it.

• SoHo