A man has been accused of kidnapping his son-in-law, assaulting him and then handing him back in exchange for an Xbox.
Joshua Seal and Bradley Marshall
Tennessee-based Joshua Seal, 38, allegedly asked his son-in-law and employee Allen Begley to help him move some equipment.
Seal and his co-worker, 36-year-old Bradley Marshall, are then believed to have picked Begley up and driven him to Seal’s Flooring in Kingsport where they held him hostage.
According to the police report Seal accused his 21-year-old son-in-law of stealing $245 worth of rings from a job site. He was then assaulted while Marshall kept guard.
Following the beating, Seal demanded $245 from Begley who told his boss and father-in-law he didn’t have it. The terrified youngster was then made to phone around to get the money.
In the police statement, it’s said that a tearful Begley – sporting a black eye – called his mother-in-law to explain the situation with Seal saying “it would get a lot worse” unless she bought the money.
Mrs Begley spoke to her neighbour, John Dugger, who offered his Xbox 360 in exchange for the return of the kidnapped young man.
Seal agreed to the proposal and the parties arranged to meet up in the car park of a nearby store where the exchange was made.
Police arrived at the bizarre scene on Sunday night to find Mr Begley batter and bruised with red marks on his neck.
Seal was arrested and taken to Kingsport City Jail with Marshall later handing himself in. Both were charged with ‘Especially Aggravated Kidnapping’.