Kidnapping is often misunderstood as a crime only applying to the taking of small children off of the street.
However, kidnapping charges in Oklahoma can apply in a number of circumstances, whether the victim is a child or an adult — stranger or family.
If you or someone you know has been charged with this crime, contact an experienced Tahlequah attorney.
About Kidnapping Charges In Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, it is illegal to do any of the following:
- cause another person to be confined or imprisoned in this state against their will;
- cause another person to be sent out of this state against their will; or
- cause another person to be sold as a slave or in any way held to service against their will.
Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 741
A prosecutor must prove each of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt in order to secure a guilty conviction for kidnapping charges in Oklahoma:
- The defendant unlawfully
- seized, confined, inveigled, decoyed, kidnapped, abducted, or carried away
- another person
- with the intent to confine that person, imprison that person, send that person out of the state, sell that person as a slave, or hold that person to service against that person’s will.
A prosecutor must therefore prove that the alleged kidnapping occurred against the victim’s will.
However, the defendant can present evidence that the kidnapping was consensual.
Penalties For Kidnapping In Oklahoma
The crime is a felony in Tahlequah. If convicted, you could spend up to 20 years in state prison.
If the defendant is also found to have sexually assaulted the victim, the defendant may face additional charges.
Low-cost Initial Consultation: Tahlequah Felony Defense Lawyer
Kidnapping charges in Oklahoma are very serious and should not be taken lightly. Please contact a Tahlequah criminal defense lawyer to discuss your available legal options.
For a low-cost consultation, call Wirth Law Office – Tahlequah at 918-458-2677 or toll free at 1-888-447-7262.
Or, if you prefer e-mail, you may enter a legal question in the form at the top right of this page and we’ll contact you by e-mail as soon as possible.
