The Cleveland, Ohio, native accused of abducting three young women and keeping them as sex slaves for more than a decade in his home was arraigned on kidnapping and rape charges Thursday morning.

Ariel Castro, 52, looked only at the ground as his charges were read to the courtroom during the five-minute proceeding in Cleveland Municipal Court, according to New York Daily News. Dressed in navy blue prison garb and tan slippers, Castro was ordered by the judge to be held in lieu of $8 million bail, $2 million for each count. No plea was entered on Thursday.

Castro is accused of abducting Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight and holding them against their will in his Cleveland home, which lies not far from where the women disappears years ago. They were rescued on May 6 after Berry managed to escape the house, get the attention of a neighbor and call 911. A 6-year-old girl was found in the home as well, said to be Berry's daughter whom she gave birth to while in captivity.

Castro was taken into custody that day.

Prosecutor Brian Murphy told Judge Lauren Moore on Thursday, "The charges against Mr. Castro are based on premeditated and depraved decision to snatch the three young ladies ... to be used in whatever self-gratifying, self-satisfying way he saw fit."

"When in captivity, they withstood repeated debasing," Murphy added. "They were bound and restrained and actually assaulted, basically never free to leave this residence."

Public defender Kathleen DeMetz told the judge, DeMetz told the judge: "Mr. Castro is 52 years old, has lived in the area for 30 years. He is on unemployment compensation."

DeMetz told reporters outside the courtroom Castro had been kept on suicide watch. Authorities believe they found a suicide note written years back by Castro, in which he admitted, "I am a sexual predator. I need help."