Kidnapping ends in arrest of suspect

DUDLEY — A kidnapping Thursday evening ended in the arrest of a suspect and the safe recovery of a teenager.

The Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department arrested Carl R. Strickland, 40, of Dudley and charged him with second degree felony kidnapping and a felony charge of unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held in the Stoddard County Jail on a $25,000 cash only bond.

According to Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner a 911 call was received Thursday evening from a woman in Dudley who said she had been kidnapped.

Hefner said the woman and Strickland had gotten into a verbal dispute at which time the she stated she was going to leave. Strickland allegedly produced a handgun and refused to allow her to leave until the argument was resolved. Hefner said Strickland never threatened to shoot anyone nor was the gun fired.

The verbal dispute continued and Strickland eventually put the gun down and left with a 15-year-old. Hefner said the woman never left.

Authorities located Strickland and the juvenile at a house on County Road 413. Strickland was then taken into custody. The juvenile was taken by juvenile authorities and left in the custody of his grandparents.