SHERIFF LOOKING FOR KIDNAPPING SUSPECT

(10/16/2007)
Calhoun County Sheriff Carl Ballengee said he is still looking for Seth Denmark, a resident of Calhoun and Roane County.

Ballengee said Denmark will be charged with the kidnapping of three juvenile girls. ages 16, 14, and 10 on October 4 and 5.

Ballengee said Denmark is hiding from authorities.

A 19-year-old Calhoun teenager has already been arrested on three counts of kidnapping. Thomas John McCullough of Orma is in Central Regional Jail on the charges.

The complaint says Denmark and McCullough allegedly refused to release the females after being in their custody for about 12 hours.

Sheriff Ballengee said the girls were missing from about 3 p.m. until about 3 a.m., their absence was reported by the parents. Local authorities searched for the girls most of the night.

Ballengee discovered the individuals on Walker Road where "The juvenile victims stated that Denmark and McCullough had provided them alcohol ... and they were not allowed to leave Denmark's vehicle."

The sheriff said "Numerous times they asked to be set free to go home and Denmark refused ... because police were after him and he did not want to get caught and go to jail."

The maximum penalty for each kidnapping charge is life imprisonment.