James T. Jacks
Acting United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS LUBBOCK MAN OF KIDNAPING THREE CHILDREN

LUBBOCK, Texas — Following a week-long trial, a federal jury has convicted Lubbock resident, Kenneth Michael Wilcox, on three counts of kidnaping, announced acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Wilcox faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison and a $750,000 fine. U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings ordered a pre-sentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set after the report is completed.

Wilcox was arrested in Oklahoma on October 28, 2008, on state kidnaping charges filed by the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office. He was indicted the following month on federal charges.

The government presented evidence at trial that Wilcox took two girls (ages 14 and 11), and a boy (age 9) from Lubbock, telling their parents that he was taking them to Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas, and that they would stay in a hotel, order room service, and ride in a limousine. Wilcox’s son was supposed to accompany them on the trip, however, the son testified at trial that his father dropped him off with his mother in Amarillo, Texas, before Wilcox left the state with the children.

Evidence showed that Wilcox took the children to southeast Oklahoma, near Idabel, and camped out in the woods in a tent with the children. Each of the three children testified that Wilcox scared them by telling them disturbing things about the people who lived in the area, including accounts of Wilcox’s friends, who he described as violent people who roamed the woods and liked to kidnap little girls, torture them, and eat them. Wilcox asked the girls if they would rather die or be a sex slave.

Mr. Jacks commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Lubbock Police Department, and the McCurtain County, Oklahoma, Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven M. Sucsy and Amy Burch of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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