Alleged kidnapping followed pot theft

A Yacolt man appeared Monday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of kidnapping a man Saturday near Orchards Park in a ploy to recover some stolen marijuana.

Frank E. Brown, 28, faces a charge of second-degree kidnapping at his June 28 arraignment.

Brown is accused of kidnapping Freddie Johnson after Johnson’s friend, Anthony Olsen, allegedly stole two pounds of marijuana instead of buying it.

Olsen and Johnson met with Brown and Brown’s wife, Valentine Robbins, in Orchards Park to buy the marijuana for $4,000, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Instead, Olsen allegedly ran off with the goods without paying, leaving Johnson behind, court records say. Brown allegedly grabbed Johnson and ordered him into the couple’s vehicle. The couple told Johnson that they would drive him to a nearby waterfall and shoot him in the head if he didn’t convince Olsen to return the marijuana, according to the court documents.

The couple allegedly put a cloth shopping bag over Johnson’s head and drove to a residence north of Battle Ground, where Brown dropped off Robbins and placed Johnson into a different vehicle. Then, court records indicate, Brown drove Johnson back toward Orchards Park.

When Brown saw a police vehicle, he ordered Johnson to get out of the vehicle, the court documents say.

Brown and Robbins told police that Johnson agreed to help them get the pot back and that Johnson called Olsen several times from Brown’s cellphone, court documents say.

“Frank said that it was Freddie’s idea to tell Anthony that if he did not give back the marijuana they would shoot him in the head,” according to the court records.

Court records indicate Brown is unemployed but earns income from a medical marijuana dispensary. He does not qualify for a court-appointed attorney.

Brown remained in the Clark County Jail on Monday night.