A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier was kidnapped last week by his alleged drug dealers and tortured -- tased and shot with a pellet gun more than 100 times -- because they thought he was an informer, it was reported Tuesday.
According to the News Tribune of Tacoma, Pierce County prosecutors on Monday charged Frederick Clifford, 34; Melissa Parr, 33; Krista James, 30; and Jacques Gerber, 33, with first-degree kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.
Gerber and Parr also face charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and unlawful use of a building for drug purposes. Brenda Gerber, 34, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine.
The News Tribune said the soldier, 23, reported the incident last Wednesday morning, after convincing Clifford to take him to the JBLM gate so he could get cash from a bank on post. Instead, he asked a clerk at the gate to call Lakewood police.
Prosecutors said the soldier was tied up with an electrical cord, tased, shot with a pellet gun more than 100 times and repeatedly punched while being held in Parr’s trailer in the 14600 block of Union Avenue SW, according to the newspaper.
The victim told detectives he had been buying drugs from Parr since April, and made a purchase July 24. Afterward, Jacques Gerber told Parr the victim was a snitch. They checked to see if he was wearing a wire, then tied him up and tortured him for several hours.
Later that morning, Parr demanded $400 from the victim for being a snitch and ordered Clifford to take him to get the money. Clifford drove him several places and told people the soldier was a hostage before agreeing to take the victim to the JBLM gate.
