Three Bend residents arrested in alleged kidnap, robbery, chokehold of 18-year-old over marijuana vape cartridge sale

(Update: adding video, more from police)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – An 18-year-old man told Bend Police early Sunday morning that he’d been kidnapped, attacked and robbed by a group of people over a marijuana vape cartridge, leading to the arrest of two women and a man on robbery, burglary, kidnap and other charges, officers said Monday.

Police were called around 2:35 a.m. to a report of suspicious circumstances in the 63000 block of Northeast Watercress Way, Communications Manager Sheila Miller said, where the 18-year-old told officers of the alleged abduction.

Miller said an investigation found that the victim agreed to buy a marijuana vape cartridge from a 16-year-old female acquaintance for $30, but only paid $3. The teen and two suspects, a 37-year-old Bend woman and Dalton Lily Ellis, 18, also of Bend, were together at the woman’s home in the 20000 block of NE Fred Meyers Road.

After the 16-year-old told Ellis she hadn’t received the right amount of money for the cartridge, she contacted the 18-year-old victim “to ask him to hang out, in an effort to bait him and recover the money for her friend,” Miller said in a news release.

The victim agreed to meet Ellis at his house, and when Ellis arrived at his home on Watercress Way in a white Ford escape, the victim got in the car with Ellis and the other woman, Miller said.

Shortly after leaving the home, suspect Charles Gordon Baker, 42, also of Bend, who was hiding under a blanket in the back of the car, put the victim in a chokehold and strangled him while the older woman drove the group to a nearby neighborhood, Miller said.

The woman then allegedly punched the 18-year-old in the face several times, then took his phone and used his face to access his banking app. According to Miller, the woman tried unsuccessfully to transfer $100 from the victim’s bank account.

The group then drove to the victim’s home to get cash, and he gave them $61, Miller said. The older woman and Ellis tried to break into the victim’s home, she said, eventually leaving with his phone. Miller said much of the incident was captured on a Ring doorbell security camera.

Police said they were able to track the three suspects down quickly, as they were known to the victim. The Ring doorbell video from outside the victim's home also helped them find the car.

Ellis was arrested shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday on suspicion of second-degree robbery, second-degree criminal mischief, first-degree burglary and criminal conspiracy.

The older woman was arrested around 2:20 p.m. Sunday on suspicion of second-degree kidnapping, second-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, coercion, fourth-degree assault, criminal conspiracy and computer crime.

Barker was arrested shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday on suspicion of second-degree kidnapping, second-degree robbery, strangulation, criminal conspiracy and coercion.

All three were booked into the Deschutes County Jail.

Miller said the investigation is continuing. "The 18-year-old in this particular case was a victim. Yes, he did something wrong, and that may later be dealt with. But for now, he is the victim, in a much more serious case.

Ellis was arraigned Monday on initial Class B felony charges of second-degree robbery, second-degree kidnapping and first-degree attempted burglary and a Class A misdemeanor charge of second-degree theft, court records show. She remained held on $30,000 bail, jail records show, and is scheduled to be arraigned March 4 on an expected grand jury indictment.

Barker was arraigned Monday on two Class B felony charges of second-degree robbery and second-degree kidnapping, and Class A misdemeanor charges of second-degree theft and strangulation. He was being held on $30,000 bail and also is due back in court March 26 on an expected formal indictment.

As of Monday afternoon, court records showed no formal charges filed against the third suspect, the 37-year-old woman, and she also was no longer in jail. NewsChannel 21’s policy is to not identify suspects until and unless formal charges are filed.

Editor's note: A video previously linked to this story focused at one point on a home not involved in this investigation. Our apologies for any misunderstanding,)