St. Louis-area businessman faces federal kidnapping charge

Published December 05, 2016

A St. Louis-area businessman and three other men will have a hearing Tuesday in federal court after being accused of kidnapping and beating a man over three days.

Court records say BAM Brands president and CEO Todd Beckman and three others — Blake Laubinger, Caleb Laubinger and Kerry Roades — held the man from Nov. 21 to 23. Court documents indicate the man's parents paid a ransom of about $27,000 before he was released.

The four are charged with kidnapping and their detention hearing will be Tuesday in St. Louis.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (http://j.mp/2fWSAta) lawyers for Beckman and Blake Laubinger say their clients will plead not guilty. An attorney for Caleb Laubinger didn't return a message seeking comment. Online court records don't list a lawyer for Roades.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com

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