Jashayla Hopson Kidnapping: Family members accused of kidnapping 6-year-old as "leverage" in property dispute, report says
(CBS) JACKSON, Miss. - A University of Alabama basketball player and members of his family are accused of aiding in the kidnapping of a cousin's young daughter in order to gain "leverage" in a property dispute, ABC News reports.
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Former star basketball player Devonta Pollard, 18, of Porterville, Miss., is charged along with his mother, Jessie Mae Brown Pollard, 54, his cousin, Shaquayla Johnigan, 21, his uncle, James Johnigan, 39, and his aunt, Joyce Johnigan, 42, with conspiring to kidnap 6-year-old Jashayla Hopson from East Kemper Elementary School in Scooba, Miss. on April 30.
According to ABC, police believe the alleged kidnapping was part of a plan to pressure the child's mother, Roshell Ford, into making a deal in a dispute over land in Porterville, Miss.
Devonta Pollard's mother, 54-year-old Jesse Mae Brown Pollard, is accused of conspiring with her friend, 52-year-old Wanda Faye Dancy, who is also charged in the case, to kidnap the young girl in an effort to reclaim land she once owned.
According to an indictment, Dancy worked at the elementary school where Jashayla attended school and helped Jesse Mae Brown Pollard and another man, identified as 25-year-old Shamarious S. Ruffin, execute the kidnapping.
The indictment alleges Jesse Mae Brown Pollard kidnapped Jashayla from her school's library, drove to a hotel in Bessemer, Ala. and later sent the child's mother a text message from a newly purchased cell phone reading, "don't call the police I will call you later if you call the police u won't see her again."
Devonta Pollard is accused of picking up his cousin, 21-year-old Shaquayla Johnigan in Boligee, Ala., and driving her to pick up Jashayla from his mother.
The indictment alleges the child was transferred to Johnigan and that Johnigan drove the child to Laurel, Miss., and sent a text message to Jashayla's mother stating, "since you called police, I want $50,000 by 3 p.m., I will tell you location later."
The next day, on May 1, Devonta Pollard allegedly notified Shaquayla Johnigan that his mother "had gone to take a polygraph."
Shaquayla Johnigan and her mother, Joyce Johnigan, then allegedly drove Jashayla to a remote location in East Central Mississippi and dropped her off near an unknown home.
According to the indictment, Shaquayla Johnigan and Joyce Johnigan told the child that "her mom was in the trailer and to run up to it."
Authorities were called to Jashayla's location at around 1:30 p.m. on May 1. She was unharmed.
Shaquayla Johnson then drove the rental car she was driving into a ditch and threw the keys into a pond, the indictment alleges.
Her father, James Johnigan, is accused of burning the phone that was used to text the victim's mother.
The trial in this case is set to begin on August 6. All of the defendants could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Jessie Mae Brown Pollard will be tried separately and could face a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $750,000 fine.
Devonta Pollard was released from the University of Alabama's basketball team following his arrest, ABC reports.
Complete coverage of the Jashayla Hopson case on Crimesider
