DA: Man kidnapped after stealing $25K

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man looking to buy meth ended up being held captive for an entire day, according to court documents.

Jeremy Carpenter and Joshua Howard both appeared in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Monday. Carpenter is charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, being a felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance. Howard is charged with just one count of first-degree kidnapping.

According to court documents, the victim was kidnapped on September 15 after he went to a golf course in the Hazelwood neighborhood to score 2 ounces of meth from Howard.

When the victim showed up, he got into Howard’s vehicle. That’s when Carpenter sat up in the back of the vehicle and held a knife to the victim’s throat, records state. Carpenter is accused of hitting the victim with the butt of the gun and holding the barrel to the their head.

The victim told authorities that about three weeks before being kidnapped, he had stolen $25,000 from a meth supplier who Carpenter sells for.

Howard is accused of driving the victim from the golf course parking lot to Carpenter’s house. The victim was kept in the garage and was told that if he didn’t disclose the location of the money, his car would be burned.

“[Carpenter] also told [the victim] his life was on the line,” according to court documents.

The victim eventually told Carpenter and Howard that the money he had stolen was in a safe deposit box at his work so the two suspects drove him there, according to court documents.

“Once there, [the victim] ran out the back door, through a wooded area, and then got on a bus,” according to court documents. At that point, he called 911.

When questioned by detectives, Howard told police that he never saw the gun or knife that the victim claimed Carpenter had, according to court documents. Howard said he knew that he would serve as the driver for the drug deal with the victim, and knew about the theft of the $25,000.

Deputies with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Carpenter’s residence, and inside the garage they found the victim’s vehicle, a backpack containing 1,400 grams of meth, drug records, a scale, two firearms, a wallet containing Carpenter’s ID, 3 sets of brass knuckles, a phone and $1,000.

A third firearm was found in the garage.

Records show Carpenter lives in Gladstone, and that he has been convicted of 9 felonies and 4 misdemeanors.

Records show that Howard has been convicted of 12 felonies, 5 misdemeanors and 17 parole or probation violations.

The victim’s name is Robert Mathews. He has not been charged for reportedly stealing the $25,000.