A man faked his own kidnapping to get out of paying a pimp more money, Fresno police say

A wild morning in downtown Fresno — where police were dispatched to a supposed kidnapping and an active shooter alert was sent out — was triggered by a man who refused to pay a pimp more money.

It all started shortly after 10 a.m. when a man entered the Wells Fargo bank on Van Ness Avenue and told a bank teller he was being kidnapped and was told to withdraw money from his bank account.

Police were called and officers found two men inside a van who were allegedly involved in the reported kidnapping.

The men were detained by police, then released after detectives began to question the initial story of kidnapping. Soon they determined there was no robbery or kidnapping taking place.

According to police, what really happened was this: The man who falsely reported his kidnapping spent the night with a prostitute. The pimp who had arranged that meeting then demanded more money than was agreed to. The alleged pimp, and another man, picked up the client and drove him to the bank, where things went sideways.

Along the way, the client was allowed to grab a beer at a Valero gas station, according to police.

All of that information led detectives and police to call off any arrests, at least for the time being. The man who reported to the bank teller could be charged with making a false police report.

Still, “We have every reason to believe that this individual was not being detained against his will, was not kidnapped, he was not being robbed,” said Fresno police Chief Jerry Dyer. “This was simply an act of prostitution that he was involved in were he was being asked to pay more money.”

The incident sparked concern at nearby Courthouse Park after Fresno County security issued an active shooter alert, according to Fresno County Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti. The Fresno County Hall of Records was locked down during the incident.

But Dyer said no weapons were found in the van during the investigation. Multiple officers had raced to the area for the phony report.

The police chief’s bottom line: “A lot of chaos and a lot of resources that were utilized for no reason.”

This story was originally published June 20, 2019 at 11:26 AM.