Traffic stop reveals kidnapping

WASILLA — When police pulled a car over for having its headlights out, they probably weren’t expecting to walk into the middle of a kidnapping and robbery.

According to a press release from Alaska State Troopers, just before 2 a.m., Sunday, Wasilla police pulled a vehicle over on the Parks Highway for having its headlights off. There were four people inside the car, two from Anchorage and two from Big Lake. The Anchorage residents, Arthur Gray, 24, and Benjamin Lega, 19, are alleged to have kidnapped the Big Lake couple.

“One of the victims was handcuffed in the back seat at the time of the vehicle stop while the other victim was driving while being held at gunpoint,” according to troopers.

Troopers responded to the traffic stop, took Gray and Lega to the trooper post in Meadow Lakes, and took over the case.

“According to the female victim, Gray and Lega entered her home and held her at gunpoint while they ransacked her home looking for money and drugs,” the AST press statement says.

The two made off with prescription drugs, guns, cash and marijuana, troopers report. While all this was going on, the woman’s boyfriend showed up.

“He was subsequently taken at gunpoint to his residence next door where his ATM card, cash and a TV were taken,” according to the press statement.

Gray and Lega allegedly tried and failed to use one of the debit cards to get money at two different ATMs and were finally able to get money with a different card near Wasilla.

Both were arrested and jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility, held on two counts each of kidnapping, robbery and assault, four each of theft and one each of vehicle theft.

Lega was also charged with providing false information.

Both were ordered held on $500,000 bail with a third party custodian requirement. They were both still in jail as of 5:20 p.m. Monday.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.