Man charged after allegedly assaulting, kidnapping victim for $350 ransom at The Links
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A man was charged on Thursday after he was accused of assaulting and holding another person against their will for a $350 ransom.
Ralik Brooks, 31, was charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree domestic assault and tampering with a victim in a felony prosecution. He is currently being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. The probable cause statement says he is from New York and intended to travel back to the state on Thursday. A court date has not been set.
Court documents claim Brooks allegedly choked the victim with a belt, punched them multiple times and demanded $350 from the victim’s mother, all occurring between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 7:40 a.m. Thursday.
Police received a phone call at 7:40 a.m. Thursday from the victim, who claimed they escaped from an apartment at The Links, a Columbia apartment complex. The victim allegedly told police that Brooks came to Columbia three weeks ago and the address given was an Airbnb.
Court documents say the victim and Brooks got into an argument around 10 p.m. When the victim tried to leave, Brooks allegedly pulled them back into the apartment, assaulted the victim and refused to let them leave, according to the probable cause statement. Police say an officer saw swelling and blood on the victim’s face during an interview.
Brooks then called the victim’s mother and demanded $350, which she gave to him through the application Cash App, the probable cause statement says. Court documents also claim that Brooks continued to assault the victim until the money was transferred.
After Brooks received the money, he allegedly broke the victim’s cellphone so they could not call police, the statement says. He then called an Uber to pick the victim up from the apartment, the statement says.
