CITIZEN STAFF REPORT

LONDON — Two Kentucky men will spend life in federal prison for two counts of kidnapping.

Jake Messer, 39, of Rockholds, was given a life sentence May 31 by United States District Judge Robert E. Wier in London. His father, George Oscar Messer, 62, of Rockholds, was sentenced to life in prison May 11.

A jury convicted Jake Messer Feb. 10 and George Oscar Messer Jan. 13 of two counts of kidnapping.

According to evidence at trial, the kidnappings were motivated by an unsuccessful drug deal, where Jake Messer and his co-conspirators lost $10,000. Jake Messer recruited assistance for the armed kidnappings and ordered the two victims transported to a remote trailer in Clay County, where they were held for 24 hours.  There, the victims were separated, interrogated, threatened and assaulted.

After several hours of captivity, Messer held the female victim down and raped her. He then provided his father with duct tape and zip ties, and his father duct-taped the victim and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint.

The victims escaped after a family member spotted them in a ditch on the side of the road with Jake Messer.

Jake Messer received numerous sentencing enhancements, including using a dangerous weapon, acting as an organizer, demanding ransom and sexually exploiting a victim.

At the sentencing hearing, witnesses also testified that Jake Messer had previous incidents of violence, sexual assault and threats.

In rendering the sentence, Judge Wier described the Messers’ conduct as the “very basement of human conduct.”

Wier also said the sentence reflected the importance of declaring that the rule of law exists and applies to everyone, regardless of location and culture.