UPDATE: Poker Buddy “Kidnapping” a Lie

In a bizarre turn of events, the explanation behind a Rialto, California, man’s April 9 abduction from his driveway, as detailed on this site, was nothing but a fabrication. A lie concocted by none other than the police themselves.

It was originally reported that the Rev. Kevin Brown, previously unnamed, was approached by two men when he and his wife pulled into their driveway around midnight, thrown into an awaiting car, and driven away. Mrs. Brown called 911 and the men were found soon thereafter. According to police, the “kidnappers” were actually Rev. Brown’s friends who whisked him away to a poker game.

In reality, the police supervisor who recorded the incident log made up the poker story and the watch commander later told reporters that the kidnapping was staged so that Rev. Brown could escape his family for the night to play with his friends.

A justifiably upset Rev. Brown, a retired firefighter, was subjected to repeated phone calls, resulting in his having to “defend his integrity”.

According to Rev. Brown, the very beginning of the story was essentially the only true portion. Two men did, in fact, approach the couple as they got out of their car, but they did not kidnap him. Rather, they said they were being chased by a man with a gun and needed a ride to San Bernardino. Naturally reluctant to honor the request, he told his wife to call the police, but did eventually give the men a ride. As soon as they left, Mrs. Brown dialed the authorities. Within only a few minutes, Mr. Brown was found and escorted home.

Rev. Brown felt compelled to clear the air after reading the police account saying that the “kidnapping” was a hoax, developed to free Rev. Brown up to play poker.

"Anyone who knows me knows I'm too committed to my wife and children to pull any ruse on them," Brown told his congregation Sunday. "And they're too smart, that it wouldn't work anyway."

Police Chief Michael Meyers addressed the congregation at Riverside's St. John Missionary Baptist Church as well. "We got it all wrong," he apologized. "There was no hoax, no poker game and definitely no fraud on behalf of the pastor."

"Being a good Christian, Pastor Brown was simply offering a ride to gentlemen who needed refuge," Meyers said.

Rev. Brown appreciated the gesture from Meyers, commenting, "You always hear about the blue wall of protection that police officers put up. But at least in Rialto, we have a chief who is a standup guy and a man of integrity."

Related stories:
Wife: “My Husband Was Kidnapped!” Husband: “No I Wasn’t – I Was Going to Play Poker.”

Originally published April 18, 2005