2 arrested for attempted kidnapping in Phelps County
Two men have been arrested for allegedly attempting to kidnap a young girl.
Sheriff Ronald Long said Mohammed Mahmoud Omar Mefleh, 34, and Antoine Chela, 31, were arrested Friday night after they tried to abduct a 12-year-old girl.
Long said the men were temporarily stationed at Fort Leonard Wood for military training purposes.
According to authorities, the men approached the girl and her sibling while the children were playing in the yard. The men allegedly tried to entice the girl into their vehicle for sexual favors.
Authorities arrested the man for enticement of a child and harassment. They are being held in the Pulaski County Jail on a $200,000 bond each.
