Staff report
Two men who police say came up with a fake kidnapping scheme to get money are in the Rowan County Detention Center under $35,000 bond each.
Salisbury Police Detective Mike Colvin charged Timothy James Burnette, 41, and Curtis Cowan, 42, both of 423 Mildred Ave., with one count each of felony extortion.
The men were apparently nabbed in or near Kmart on East Innes Street where the exchange of man for money was slated to occur Wednesday morning.
According to information contained in a warrant, Cowan called Phyllis Diane Little on Thursday and told her he had kidnapped her brother, Burnett, and was holding him for a ransom of $1,160.
According to the warrant, Burnett also told Little that he had been kidnapped and was being held for ransom.
Little called Salisbury police and reported the kidnapping. She agreed to make payment.
Police were waiting for the exchange at K mart.
After what police described as some wrestling with the two men, they were taken into custody.
It was unclear why the men specified $1,160 as the ransom amount.
Colvin and Officer J.D. Barber filed the charges.
Burnett and Cowan are scheduled to make their first appearance in Rowan District Court today.
Cowan was released from the N.C. Department of Corrections earlier this year.
In July 2005, Cowan was charged with kidnapping a woman in Concord. Information on the outcome of that case was not immediately available.