Alleged Kidnapper Pleads Guilty

A woman who participated in a kidnapping in February pleaded guilty to lesser charges in court Tuesday.Tracy Stodgell pleaded guilty to aggravated stalking and felonious restraint in court. The charges carry a maximum of 11 years in prison, however as part of her plea agreement, she will avoid additional jail time.Stodgell has been behind bars since her arrest in March but will be released on Wednesday. She will be on house arrest and testify against three co-defendants.Stodgell was arrested earlier this year in Randolph County for first degree accessory to assault and accessory to kidnapping. Authorities say she and Michael Wright locked a woman inside a freezer after a drug deal went bad. The Randolph County Sheriff says the victim admitted to taking drugs while partying with Wright in a Super 8 Motel room in Moberly. Wright accused the woman of stealing. He then called two other men to come to the hotel room and took the the victim to a basement in a remote area south of Renick. The victim was then bound and placed in a freezer with bricks on top, but she was able to eventually escape.