Man Arrested, Accused Of Kidnapping 3-Year-Old Boy And Demanding $150 Ransom In OKC

Oklahoma City police arrested a metro man on complaints of kidnapping for extortion and armed robbery. The complaints stemmed from his involvement in an Amber Alert.  

Police said Marcellias Arterberry, 28, had 3-year-old Isaiah Zachary for nearly three hours before an Amber Alert was issued.

Read Related Story: Amber Alert For 3-Year-Old Taken From Mother In Oklahoma City

“This was a domestic-related call in south Oklahoma City,” said MSgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department.   

The mother of the boy told police her ex-boyfriend followed them to Q-Mart at 149th and Sunnylane.

Arterberry was texting her allegedly demanding she give him $150 or he would shoot the back of her car.  

“She pulled over at a convenience store,” said Knight. “Walked inside acted like she was using the ATM. Once he realized that she was not giving him money, he took the three-year-old child out of the vehicle.”

The child's mother told police Arterberry was armed with a gun and left the store with her child. He continued demanding the woman give him money, according to the report, Arterberry said it was ransom for the child. 

“She called police at that point,” said Knight. “And officers became involved.”  

According to the report, Arterberry told the woman to meet him at Walmart near I-40 and MacArthur. He left the area when he noticed police in the parking lot.

Arterberry then told the woman to meet him at a convenience store at Northwest 16th and MacArthur. An Amber Alert was issued around the same time.

“When she told him she would give him the money,” said Knight. “He stopped some place. They arranged a meeting point and that’s when undercover officers moved in and made the arrest.”

The child was not harmed during the kidnapping. Police are not sure if Arterberry was the biological father of the child or what his role is in the boy's life.