Man Held in Alleged Cross-Country Kidnappings

A 38-year-old Kentucky man, described by authorities as a sexual predator, was in custody in a Rancho Cucamonga jail and apparently will not fight extradition after being arrested in Ontario in an alleged three-week kidnapping odyssey, authorities said Monday.

Carl Anthony Ashcraft was arrested Saturday by police without incident after a woman left his vehicle at an Ontario truck stop and sought help from a chaplain, who in turn called authorities, said Ontario Det. Linda Johnson.

When police arrived, Ashcraft drove away with the woman’s 6-year-old daughter but stopped when police turned on their lights and siren, Johnson said.

The victim said she and her daughter were kidnapped by Ashcraft on Feb. 25 from their home in Kentucky.

Kentucky State Police Det. Terry Clancy said Ashcraft, who is 5-foot-10 and weighs about 270 pounds, had previously known the woman and kept her and her daughter “in a four-wheel prison” for three weeks. The mother and daughter apparently were unable to escape until Saturday because of Ashcraft’s intimidation and his practice of keeping either the mother or daughter with him at all times.

Ashcraft had been sought by Kentucky authorities since 1995 on kidnapping, robbery and sodomy charges, Clancy said. Those offenses occurred after he was released on parole for previous sex abuse and robbery convictions, Clancy said.

“He’s a real sexual predator, not a very nice person if you know what I mean,” Clancy said. Ashcraft’s elusiveness “was getting my sportin’ blood up.”

The FBI was also seeking Ashcraft on charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, said FBI Agent Jim Insco.

Ashcraft didn’t kidnap for ransom, but “for his own sexual appetite,” and he forced the women he abducted to steal and beg money for him, Clancy said.

The Kentucky Department of Corrections will seek Ashcraft’s extradition in order to face prosecution in Florence, Ky., and Ashcraft has indicated he will not resist, Clancy said.

The victim and her daughter returned home Monday and were meeting with investigators to discuss the case, Clancy said.