Ridgeland police arrested former Ole Miss football star Jerrel Powe and charged him with kidnapping today.
Ridgeland Chief of Police Bryan Myers said Powe and an accomplice kidnapped a man in Laurel. They allegedly tried to force him to give them money but his bank account was at Chase. Since the nearest Chase branch was in Jackson, Powe and his partner in crime allegedly kidnapped the victim and brought him to Chase's Ridgeland branch.
The victim went into the bank to withdraw funds but somehow had the presence of mind to inform the bank he was being held against his will. The bank called the police. Ridgeland police arrested the two men and set the victim free.
Powe was a second-team All-SEC defensive/nose tackle in 2009 and 2010. The Kansas City Chiefs drafted him in the sixth round in 2011. He played a few games in the NFL but washed out in 2017 after bouncing from the Chiefs to the Texans to the Redskins.
Powe's high school recruitment was rather controversial when it became known Powe was illiterate. Teachers passed him along while coaches were more than happy to have a football star, education be damned. A tutor finally discovered he was dyslexic and suffered other learning disabilities. Powe eventually earned his coveted high school diploma. He returned to Ole Miss in 2018 and completed his requirements to earn a degree in criminal justice. Athletic Story about the Powe saga.
Update (5:10 PM): Ridgeland police issued the following statement.
Thursday, January 12, 2023, at approximately 1:40 p.m., Ridgeland Police responded to Chase Bank located at 1042 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, Mississippi, in reference to a report of someone being held against their will at the bank. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victim who told officers that he was kidnapped in Laurel, Mississippi and was taken to Chase Bank, against his will, and forced to withdraw money. The victim identified the suspects as Jerrel Powe, age 35, of Buckatunna, Mississippi, and Gavin Bates, age 35, of Roseville, California. Both Powe and Bates were still on scene and were arrested on scene by responding officers. They are each charged with one count of Kidnapping and are currently being held at Madison County Jail. Bond has not been set for either subject.
The investigation is on-going at this time and further criminal charges are possible.
24 comments:
How dumb you gotta be to send somebody into a bank with instructions to bring back money? No wonder he was bounced from team to team - Couldn't learn the damn plays.
Question comes to mind - How did he manage to graduate from high school OR Ole Myth? Nobody beats an Ole Myth education. NOOOOOO-Baddy.
4:41…for the win and the game just started..:)
The supposed "victim", who is a known fraudster, owed Powe money.
That will be some Madison justice, not Hinds justice , he done messed up in the wrong county. ( We run the Sip)
These two look like they could be regulars on Reno 911
I recently met Jerrell at Char through a third party at lunch. I assumed he was a dumb jock that had gotten in at Ole Miss through a fake ACT score. I was shocked at how articulate and intelligent he was and how easily he was able to discuss a myriad of subjects. I even asked him about the "I can't read" ticket story from his playing days. He told me the tale but specifically stated that he was worried about his mother's reaction from the newspaper article. I don't know what happened at this specific instance, but after prosecuting in Hinds County for 8 years, I can tell you kidnappers don't pay for ex-prosecutors meals and they don't worry about their mothers' feelings. I would not make the same mistake I did and judge a book by its cover.
I knew Jarrell when he was in high school and he absolutely had reading issues. He was always nice when I talked to him but he wasn’t the brightest.
Hugh is checking to see if he has any eligibility left.
I have know Jarrell socially and find it hard to believe he intended anything illegal in this incident. Check his record-there isn’t any record except for his academic struggles, his football years and ultimate success in obtaining a college degree. It seems like the “victim” was all in on whatever transpired here, when all of the facts are considered. Don’t think this guy will ever show up in jail again.
The 'victim' owed him money? Well, do-la-diddle. Maybe Powe can collect when he leaves Parchman. I can see him in the exercise yard now. Get ready for a movie to rival 'The Far Side'.
But, on the other hand, there are more than a few lawyers who can get this thing dismissed.
Bless your heart kingfish.
A degree in crimminal justice ... the irony
Gavin needs a haircut-
I hope there's more to the story, but I suspect taking the victim to Ridgeland from Wayne County won't appear favorable for Powe.
The “victim” isn’t a victim at all. These two loaned the said victim money to start a business in Wayne County as many other locals did as well. These two wanted their money back and road with Mathys to the Ridgeland bank which had about $50 bucks in that particular account. My guess is he wanted a long ride to figure out his escape and came up with telling the tellers he was being kidnapped . This guy had already got in trouble a few years earlier for the same thing, he must be one smooth talking SOB.
Jerrel is great guy. Charges will be dropped.
The “victim” had enough sense to go somewhere other than Jackson. The police in Jackson probably would not even answer the call.
Im with 10:55 there is more to this, Hopefully this is not the end of story. The Victim is not a VICTIM but a Con Man
@10:05 So Powe and his accomplice own a business that give out small business loans? I had no idea. Surely Powe and his accomplice have the lending statement and contract that would clear all of this up. Why is Powe and his accomplice giving the guy a ride? Shouldn't the "victim" simply pay the loan per the signed contractual terms. And if the "victim" doesn't pay, then Powe and his friend follow the default terms to recover their loan proceeds.
What kind of bank has no branch between Wayne and Madison Counties?
If they had just worn shirts with AGENT on the back, like Dog The Bounty Hunter's crew, this would have been perfectly legal. Those guys can roust you out of bed, jerk you off the job and throw you in the back of a Tahoe with no warrant or explanation....
I loathe Ole Piss in most all things, but I wont hold it against this dude if the charges are as 10:05 described. This sounds incredible suspect.
Hope they are able to prove it all out if Jerrel is a decent dude as comments here indicate.
If the victim is lying he won’t be able to stay in the Wayne County area!
This thing stinks and I can see Powe getting mixed up in this. This will go away as it should.
This accuser will probably move to Jackson. The city may celebrate the only person in some time to do so.
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