LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Police arrested three people on charges of kidnapping and extortion after allegedly holding a 15-year-old boy hostage for six hours in exchange for a ransom over a stolen e-bike, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.
Christian Scarlett, 31; Savannah Schmitt, 31; and Stephen Smith, 45, all face charges of kidnapping with a deadly weapon, extortion, child abuse, robbery and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, records said.
On Saturday, May 25, the group allegedly kidnapped a 15-year-old boy in the parking lot of a convenience store near Russell Road and Grand Canyon Drive in the west valley, documents said. The child was then held against his will for six hours at a nearby apartment.
Multiple witnesses saw the kidnapping in the parking lot and called police, officers said. One witness told officers they saw a group of men yelling at a group of young people.
At one point, one of the men pointed a gun at one of the young people, saying he was going to kill him, according to a witness who told police. The argument was reportedly over a stolen e-bike. The young person then got into the back seat of the group’s car.
Later in the day, a person called police, saying they received a phone call from two people who said they were holding the 15-year-old hostage, according to police. The pair would release the child in exchange for $4,000.
Police tracked the caller’s phone, finding it belonged to Schmitt, they said. Schmitt had called police weeks earlier to report a domestic disturbance between her and Smith, her boyfriend, police said. Police also tied Schmitt to a nearby apartment from her prior calls to police.
Officers went to the apartment, finding the group inside, they said.
In interviews with police, Smith accused the teenager of stealing the bicycle during a planned sale. Instead of paying for the bike, the teenager rode off with it. Schmitt told police the teenager agreed to come with them in their car and that the group was waiting for the teenager’s parents to pay for the bike — even though witnesses told police the group held the teenager at gunpoint.
Speaking with the police, the teenager said he and his friends intended to steal the bike. The teenager also told police that while he was inside the apartment, the group put a pillowcase over his head and one person made threats about killing him, documents said.
During the trio’s first court appearances, Judge Amy Ferreira set bail at $150,000. Should any of the defendants post bond, each will be required to wear a GPS-monitoring bracelet and not possess weapons.