September 2002 Table of Contents

KIDNAPPING IN TREASURE CAY

On Friday 23rd August Treasure Cay contractor Floyd Sawyer was abducted at about 7 am by three men who took him to Abaco Heights and demanded a ransom of over $300,00 from his family. No doubt the kidnappers thought that the police force would be distracted by the murder case from Sandy Point, but that was not the case. Within 12 hours the three men were arrested.

According to reports the family of Floyd Sawyer did the right thing and notified police immediately. Telephone calls made on cellular phones assisted the police in their apprehension.

During the abduction Floyd Sawyer was tied to a tree and a firearm was fired close to his head. The perpetrators were two men from Nassau and the husband of Mr Sawyer’s niece, Cindy Bethel. Arrested were Frankie Bethel, 31; Ricardo Reckley, 32; and Renardo Major, 23. They were charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, kidnapping, two counts of possession of unlicensed firearms, possession of ammunition, possession of dangerous drugs; theft of $2,500: and theft of an $8,000 Rolex watch.

The men were arraigned before magistrate Crawford McKee in Marsh Harbour on 26th August and were remanded to Fox Hill Prison in Nassau. The two Nassau men apparently asked to be released on bail because one had a wife and children to look after and the other had an elderly mother. (You’re thinking exactly what I am thinking.) The case will be heard on 23rd October. The three kidnappers face sentences of up to 40 years.

Floyd Sawyer, 54, developed enough money in his early years to become the head of one of Abaco’s top construction firms, building houses in both Marsh Harbour and Treasure Cay. He has three children: Clint,26: Natasha, 24; and Cory, 19.

September 2002 Table of Contents