Robert Jemmott, 22, of Stapleton, and Tamika Atanda, 31, of Port Richmond Center, were each charged with first-degree kidnapping

Staten Island Advance/Michael OatesRobert Jemmott and Tamika Atanda are charged with first-degree kidnapping.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two suspects could spend the rest of their lives in prison for allegedly abducting a woman Tuesday night over $130.

Robert Jemmott, 22, of Stapleton, and Tamika Atanda, 31, of Port Richmond Center, were each charged with first-degree kidnapping and other crimes stemming from the bizarre episode, first reported in Wednesday's editions of the Advance. More details became available Thursday with the filing of court papers by prosecutors.
The incident unfolded around 7:15 p.m. on the corner of Bay Street and Lynhurst Avenue, Rosebank.
Staten Island Advance/Anthony DePrimoDetectives examine the white Lumina that may have been used in the abduction. According to court documents and a law enforcement source, the suspects approached a man who had borrowed money over time from Jemmott. Ms. Atanda punched the man in the face, then grabbed his wife, who was with him and dragged her into the rear passenger seat of a white 2000 Chevrolet Lumina.
The suspects drove off. They took the woman’s cell phone, blindfolded her, stuffed a bandanna in her mouth and bound her hands and feet.
Ms. Atanda then telephoned the woman’s husband and threatened to harm his spouse.
"If I don’t get the money by 10:30, I’m going to do something to your wife I don’t want to do," said court papers.
The source said the suspects demanded $130.
The man, meanwhile, reported the abduction to cops. About an hour later, officers spotted the Lumina at the corner of Gordon and Broad streets, Stapleton.
On approaching, cops saw the victim bound and gagged in the back seat, said court papers. Ms. Atanda was seated in the front passenger seat and Jemmott exited a deli and got behind the wheel.
The suspects consented to a search and officers allegedly found a loaded .38-caliber handgun in the glove compartment. Ms. Atanda had five small plastic bags of crack cocaine in her pants pocket.
Besides first-degree kidnapping, the suspects were each charged with felony criminal weapon possession, misdemeanor assault and possession of pistol or revolver ammunition. Ms. Atanda also is accused of misdemeanor drug possession, said a spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan.
They were arraigned on those charges Thursday in Stapleton Criminal Court and were remanded to jail. If ultimately convicting of the kidnapping charge, they could face a maximum of 25 years to life behind bars.
Online state court records show Jemmott was has a pending misdemeanor assault case in Stapleton Criminal Court stemming from a March 7 arrest. He is free on $2,500 bail in that matter.


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