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Culpeper police arrest woman, seeking two men in unusual abduction case Date published: 2/25/2010
BY DONNIE JOHNSTON
Culpeper town police are searching for two men who are suspects in an unusual kidnapping case that has been under investigation for a week. One woman, who shared a home with the alleged victim, has already been arrested, but two men suspected of being accomplices remain on the loose. The case began about 11 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, when police received a call from the 26-year-old victim's sister, who said her brother had been abducted by two masked men wearing gloves. The sister added that the kidnappers were demanding money for her brother's safe return. She said her brother had called her and told her to come up with the ransom and bring the money to a specified location. The sister's phone call to the police was interrupted by a second call from her brother, according to Capt. Ricky Pinksaw. Investigators quickly began to focus on 25-year-old Antrina Bright, who shared an apartment on Claire Paige Way with the victim and his girlfriend. Bright told police the masked men had tied her up with masking tape during the abduction. But Pinksaw said her story quickly began to unravel. At that point, Sgt. Tim Chilton began alerting authorities in neighboring jurisdictions and within a short time received a call from the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office saying that a man bound in duct tape had come to a house in Midland seeking help. The man, who turned out to be the victim in the Culpeper abduction, said he had been thrown from a car. He was taken to Fauquier Hospital and treated for cuts and bruises to his arms, face and legs. Police subsequently charged Bright with felony conspiracy to commit robbery and with being an accessory before the fact. Investigators are seeking 26-year-old Devin Michael Copeland of Front Royal and 26-year-old Quintel Juwan Levenberry of Woodbridge. Michael is described as about 6-2 and 240 pounds; Levenberry is 5-6 and 150 pounds. Both suspects apparently knew the victim, according to Pinksaw. Arrest warrants charge both men with malicious wounding, wearing a mask while committing a felony, abduction, conspiracy to commit abduction, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, conspiracy to commit abduction and extortion and conspiracy to commit robbery. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Andrew Terrill at 540/829-5521 or Crime Solvers at 540/727-0300. Donnie Johnston:
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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