Oak Ridge Police Department officers and detectives responded to the Y-12 Federal Credit Union on Tuesday morning, April 28, for what was later reported to be a kidnapping and extortion plot involving a credit union employee’s family and the Oak Ridge branch of the credit union.
Authorities continue to investigate a kidnapping and extortion plot involving the Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge last week, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has released some information describing the three suspects.
The alleged kidnapping and extortion started at about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 28, when a credit union employee’s family was kidnapped from the Whittington Creek neighborhood in west Knox County in an effort to extort money from the credit union, the FBI said in a press release on Wednesday.
“The employee’s family was held at gunpoint for a period of time before being released in the Gettysvue Country Club parking lot in Knoxville, around 9:25 a.m.,” the release said. “Upon being released, the victims were able to seek help from a nearby residence. During the law enforcement response, the suspects fled and remain at large. No injuries were reported, and no money was taken from the credit union.”
The FBI said initial descriptions of the subjects were limited because the victims were blindfolded during the incident. But authorities have developed some descriptive information during the investigation, and they are sharing it to help identify the suspects.
Male Subject A
- White
- Possible late 20s
- 5’9″ to 5’11”
- 170-190 pounds
- Thin build
- Salt and pepper black hair
- Black hat
- Black hoodie
- Black cargo pants
- Black bandanna
- Dark sunglasses
- Tattoo on neck containing orange ink
Male Subject B
- Medium skin tone
- Possibly late 30s
- 5’10” to 6’0″
- 200 to 220 pounds
- Stocky build
- Shaved head
- Black long sleeve T-shirt
- Black cargo pants
- Black bandanna
Female subject
- White
- Pale complexion
- Possibly 30s
- 5’7″ to 5’9″
- Long black hair (possibly a wig)
The Oak Ridge Police Department responded to the Oak Ridge branch of Y-12 Federal Credit Union on Lafayette Drive at about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 28. The credit union was cordoned off and closed the rest of that day and the next day, Wednesday, April 29, although the credit union’s headquarters, which share a five-story building with the local branch, remained open
The incident is being investigated jointly by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF), comprised of the FBI, Knoxville Police Department, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the KCSO Major Crimes Unit, and the Oak Ridge Police Department. Members of the public are encouraged to report information about this incident to the Knoxville FBI at (865) 544-0751 or KCSO at (865) 215-2444.
All subjects are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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