Crime Wave Hits Cherokee County
3 arrested, charged with aggravated kidnapping of Rusk man
BY LELAND ACKER

Solid police work and attentiveness to their surroundings led to the Sheriff 's department arrest of three men suspected of kidnapping a Rusk man last week. The kidnapping kicked off a crime wave in Cherokee County last week.

According to a report by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department, Carlton Joshua Mulder, 29 of Rusk was kidnapped when he pulled to the side of FM 2138 to assist a man and an expecting mother on April 16. The couple was standing outside of a tan truck.

Mr. Mulder told deputies when he exited his vehicle, the suspect pointed a gun at his stomach and demanded his property. Mr. Mulder told deputies the assailant forced him into the trunk of his car before stealing it. When the car stopped, Mr. Mulder escaped by prying the trunk open with a hatchet when the car stopped.

The report stated that Mr. Mulder then went to the Sheriff's department and filed a report. Mr. Mulder's car was later found having been set on fire.

Tuesday, Sheriff James Campbell, Lt. Chris White and Capt. Keith Ratcliff were returning to Rusk from Jacksonville, when Capt. Ratcliff observed the tan truck described by Mr. Mulder heading toward Jacksonville in the northbound lanes on U.S. 69.

"He said, 'Hey! That looks like the truck,'" Lt. White said. "So Sheriff Campbell turned around."

Lt. White said the truck was pulled over for traffic violations.

"In plain view were items described by the victim," Lt. White said. "(The suspect) was arrested on traffic violations and we obtained a search warrant for the vehicle."

Arrested was Brian Rozelle. Lt. White said through conversations with Mr. Rozelle, Shawn Brucker and Elton Dugan were identified as suspects and arrested.

Mr. Rozelle was charged with aggravated robbery and the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was arraigned by Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Teresa Phifer and bonds were set totaling $135,000.

Mr. Brucker was arrested Thursday night at approximately 6 p.m. He was arraigned Friday morning by Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace James Morris on charges of criminal solicitation to commit aggravated kidnapping. Bond was set at $750,000.

Mr. Duggan was arrested and charged with criminal solicitation to commit aggravated kidnapping.

Lt. White said the actual intent of the suspects has yet to be determined, as well as the amount of planning that went into the crime.