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3 DeKalb County inmates escaped: What happened next
Escaped DeKalb County inmates Stevenson Charles, Yusuf Minor, and Naod Yohannes face federal kidnapping charges after allegedly terrorizing a Lyft driver during a getaway to Miami.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Court documents allege the three escaped DeKalb County inmates kidnapped their rideshare driver after traveling to Miami and stealing money from her.
The backstory:
The three inmates — Stevenson Charles, 24; Yusuf Minor, 31; and Naod Yohannes, 25 — escaped the jail either late Sunday night or early Monday morning, according to DeKalb County officials. They were later taken to Minor's girlfriend's house before ordering a rideshare to South Florida, where they were arrested.
What they're saying:
According to records filed on behalf of FBI agents in U.S. District Court, agents were alerted after a license plate reader found the rideshare driver's car in Miami. Agents said the three men were taken to a home in DeKalb County where a woman placed an order for the rideshare to Florida.
The rideshare driver said she pulled up and was caught off guard when she found three men waiting instead of the woman on the rideshare app, but she decided to take the ride anyway, according to the documents.
The driver said everything went fine until she reached the destination the three escaped inmates had requested. At that point, she told officials that one of the men wrapped a rope around her neck from behind and pulled her into the back of her car. The men told the victim not to struggle or she would be killed, according to court records. She told agents she complied with the men because she feared for her life.
She told agents that she was in the car for six to 10 hours, according to records. During that time, she said the men forced her to transfer money from her savings account to a debit card. They also used her card to pay for a short-term rental, according to agents.
Charles Stevenson, Yusuf Minor, and Naod Yohannes (Broward County Sheriff's Office)
The victim told agents she was not aware the men were escaped inmates until she overheard them talking after her alleged kidnapping.
Agents tracked the car and found it moving. When they tried to pull it over, Charles ran away. Yohannes stayed in the car and was arrested.
Officials chased Charles and arrested him. They said he dropped a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm handgun while running away.
Agents alleged Charles and Yohannes had the victim's cards on them when they were arrested.
Minor was later arrested at the rental house, according to agents.
The U.S. Marshals Service reiterated the Lyft driver was not a willing participant.
RELATED:
- Escaped DeKalb jail inmates captured together in South Florida | What we know
- 3 inmates who escaped in DeKalb County captured in Florida
What's next:
All three now face federal kidnapping charges following the escape. They also face other state charges.
The initial appearance for Yusuf and Minor is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Dec. 29 before a federal magistrate judge in Fort Lauderdale.
The Source: This is a FOX 5 original report. Information in this article came from Sam Daniel reviewing federal court documents obtained after they were filed in Florida.