FBI Knoxville
Public Affairs Officer Darrell DeBusk
(865) 544-0751
May 6, 2015

Kidnapping and Extortion Investigation Continues

On April 28, 2015, law enforcement agencies responded to the Y-12 Credit Union at 501 Lafayette Drive in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to investigate a reported kidnapping and extortion involving the credit union.

Reports indicate that at approximately 8:15 a.m. on April 28, a credit union employee’s family was kidnapped from the Whittington Creek neighborhood in Knoxville in an effort to extort money from the credit union. 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. 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.

Initial descriptions of the subjects were limited as the victims were blindfolded during the incident. Ongoing investigative efforts have developed some descriptive information that is being shared at this time to facilitate the identification of the subjects:

Male Subject A

  • White
  • Possibly late-20s
  • 5’09” to 5’11” tall
  • 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” tall
  • 200 to 220 pounds
  • Stocky build
  • Shaved head
  • Black, long Sleeved T-shirt
  • Black cargo pants
  • Black bandanna

Female Subject

  • White
  • Pale complexion
  • Possibly 30s
  • 5’07” to 5’09” tall
  • Long, black hair (possibly a wig)

This matter is being investigated jointly by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF), composed of the FBI, KPD, and the KCSO; 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.

For more information on the FBI’s Knoxville Division, visit www.fbi.gov/knoxville.