Frank Amnott, Kidnapping, Virginia 2018

Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Plot, Faces Mandatory Life Sentence

Harrisonburg, VIRGINIA – A Florida man, Frank Jesse Amnott, 31, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg to a series of charges related to his conduct in a failed attempt to kidnap five children and kill their parents.

On July 29, 2018, Amnott, along with his co-conspirators Valerie Perfect Hayes and Gary Blake Reburn, devised a plan to travel from Maryland to Dayton, Va. to kidnap the children from two Mennonite families and kill the parents. The conspirators planned to hold the parents at gunpoint, secure the children, and then execute the parents at both houses to eliminate witnesses to the abductions.

According to court documents, Amnott and his co-conspirators were not family members to any of the children, and none of them had legal custody or a colorable claim to legal custody over any of the children. The five children targeted were all younger than eight years old.

The quick thinking of a parent and the immediate dispatch and response of a Rockingham County Sheriff's Office deputy prevented the incident from escalating into something much worse.

U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen praised the diligence of the FBI and the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office in investigating the case and bringing the conspirators to justice. Special Agent in Charge David W. Archey thanked the partnership of the United States Attorney's Office, the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office, and international partners for their assistance in the case.

Amnott pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit the offense of kidnapping, one count of conspiracy to kill witnesses, and one count of brandishing, carrying, and using a firearm in commission of a federal crime of violence. The crime of conspiracy to kill witnesses carries a statutory sentence of mandatory life in prison.

Amnott's guilty plea brings an end to the case, and he will face the consequences of his actions. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilant law enforcement and the bravery of those who risk their lives to protect others.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/pr/florida-man-pleads-guilty-life-sentence-plot-kidnap-children-and-murder-parents