Decatur siblings go to trial in federal court for kidnapping case

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — A pair of Decatur siblings accused of kidnapping a local business owner will appear before a federal judge on Monday.

According to the Decatur Police Department, Ademeko Maclin-Carney and Ausarian Carney were suspects in a 2022 kidnapping.

A sworn affidavit detailed the alleged crime, in which police said the victim was called by a woman on March 24, 2022. She told him she needed work done at a home in the 1200 block of E. William St. Police said he arrived and met with a woman who exited a car. He recognized her as someone he had dealt with through his business before. Officers said he realized she had given him a false name.

The front door of the home was unlocked by the woman and he entered. He told the woman the building was "in very poor condition" and was not in a state where he could lay flooring. At that time, police said she pepper-sprayed him in the face before a male suspect came out of a side room and pointed a pistol at him.

The victim was ordered to get on the ground, at which time his hands were zip-tied and a bag was placed over his head, per police. He was forced into the trunk of a car and was taken to a basement of a different home, at which time authorities said kidnappers demanded $400,000 in exchange for his release. The victim told the suspects he and his wife would not be able to get that kind of money.

Police said the victim was again forced into the trunk of a vehicle. He was taken to another residence and was placed in the back hatch area of a minivan. The victim pulled on the zip ties and was eventually able to free a hand, at which point he removed the bag from his head and discovered nobody was around the vehicle.

The victim fled on foot and made it to Peerless Cleaners in Decatur, where he told an employee. That employee then called police.

Decatur Police identified the suspects as Maclin-Carney and Carney.

WAND News will be in the courtroom for the first day of their federal trial. This article will be updated with the latest news from the courtroom.

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.