South Carolina Criminal Defense Attorneys

Physically abducting person against his/her will and without legal authority is a criminal act, formally referred to as kidnapping.

The act of kidnapping can be committed for various reasons:

• Ransom
• Convincing an individual to abandon his/her free will in an attempt to get him to join a cult or religious movement
• Human trafficking
• Escape from another felony
• Harming the kidnapped individual or someone related
• Interfering with government/political agenda
• Child custody disputes
• Incidences of domestic violence

Consequences

Anyone convicted of kidnapping will face a prison sentence though the punishments will vary based on a number of other instances:

• Length of time kidnapped individual was held against his will
• If other crimes were committed in conjunction with the kidnapping
• Where the kidnapping occurred (crossing state lines can bring on federal charges and heavier sentences)

By the Numbers

• About 2,000 children under 18 are abducted and or reported missing each day.
• 800,000 missing children each year
• Victims are killed about 40 percent of the time
• 74 percent of the victims killed are murdered within three hours of their abduction.
• Most kidnappings occur within a quarter mile ofthe victim’s home.
• Eighty-two percent of kidnappings are committed by a child’s family member
• Seven percent of kidnappings are committed by a stranger

As a result of more organized law enforcement, kidnapping for ransom has decreased in the United States. Law enforcement officials work to capture the kidnapper in the act as they motion toward exchanging the victim for cash.

However, statistics indicate that even with this decrease other means for kidnapping are still occurring. These instances are happening world-wide; Afghanistan, Africa, Brazil, Chechnya, Colombia, Haiti, Iraq, Mexico, Philippines, Venezuela are all countries where kidnapping is prevalent.

If you or someone you know has been charged with kidnapping, contact our criminal defense attorneys today at the Strom Law Firm 803.252.4800 to evaluate your case.