Grand jury indicts 6 in March abduction of teenagers

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A federal grand jury indicted six people on Wednesday that are accused of kidnapping two Indianapolis teenagers.

Indiana prosecutors said that 38-year-old John Thomas and five others will face two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

The other five people indicted were: Bernando Reeves, Ali Hussain Ashore, Mohammed Karkash, April Sandell and Alaa Al-Salehi.

Prosecutors said that Thomas and the others kidnapped the two teenagers because their older half-sister, Whitney Blackwell, stole narcotics and money from them.

Authorities have said Blackwell was Thomas’ ex-girlfriend.

Aaron Blackwell, 16, and Emma Blackwell, 13, were the two teens who were abducted from their home at gunpoint in March. 

Emma was released and was found at home on LaSalle Street and Aaron was rescued after a high speed chase in Detroit.

Blackwell admitted to stealing money from her ex-boyfriend, John Thomas, at this home in Detroit last month.