Florida Men Indicted for Kidnapping Columbia Woman

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Russell “Rusty” Ballard, age 36, and Scott Ogden, age 19, both of Naples, Florida, were charged in a federal Indictment with kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. The indictment charges that on May 25, 2009, Ballard and Ogden kidnapped a woman, identified only by her initials in the indictment as A.E., from the parking lot of the Olympia Market on Texas Street in Columbia The indictment further alleges that Ballard forced A.E. into the backseat of a car using a choke hold. Ogden began driving away once Ballard and A.E. were in the car. Columbia firemen saw the abduction and attempted to block the car from leaving the parking lot, but were unsuccessful. Ballard, Ogden, and A.E. transferred to a truck while in Columbia, and Ogden drove the truck to a Days Inn in Conyers, Georgia, where he left Ballard alone with the victim. The next morning Ballard and A.E. went to the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, where Ballard attempted to falsely explain that the kidnapping had been staged. Ballard was arrested at the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office.

If convicted on both counts, Ballard and Ogden face a maximum possible sentence of life in prison and a $500,000.00 fine.

This case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. This case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Jendron, Jr., of the Columbia office for prosecution.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these Indictments are merely accusations and that the Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.