The final man wanted in connection with the kidnapping earlier this month of a North Carolina man was arrested early this morning, federal officials said.
Jakym Tibbs was wanted by the FBI for his alleged part in the April 5 abduction of Frank Janssen, and a $25,000 reward had been offered for Tibbs’ arrest.
Federal agents took Tibbs into custody at a home in Harrisburg, Pa., just before 7 a.m., FBI spokesman Stephen Emmett said.
Tibbs is the last of the suspects linked to a plot to take Janssen from his Wake Forest, N.C., home to Atlanta.
Prosecutors said Tibbs and Quantavious Thompson drove a rented car to Wake Forest with two women, and they lured Janssen from his home, Tased him, assaulted him and stuffed him into a car trunk.
Tiana Maynard, Jenna Paulin Martin, Michael Montreal Gooden, Jevante Price and Clifton James Roberts were all arrested and charged with kidnapping after Janssen was rescued from a southeast Atlanta apartment by a special FBI kidnapping task force on April 10.
Thompson was arrested last Wednesday in Atlanta, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Kelvin Melton, already serving a life sentence in a North Carolina prison for orchestrating a murder scheme in 2011, was the kingpin of the Janssen kidnapping caper.
Melton also has been charged in connection with the abduction for allegedly using at least one contraband mobile phone from his prison cell to give orders and make demands and threats to Janssen’s wife, prosecutors said.
Tibbs went before a federal judge to hear the charges against him early this afternoon in Pennsylvania.
Martin and Maynard have been taken back to North Carolina to await prosecution.
Thompson, Roberts and Price will appear Wednesday before a federal judge, who will determine if there is enough evidence to continue with charges.
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