Two Texas Men Plead Guilty To Kidnapping

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that KALVIN KYLE MCCOWN, age 43, of Longview, Texas, and TRAVIS LEE HILL, age 27, of Ore City, Texas, pled guilty to KIDNAPPING, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1201(a)(1), punishable by any term of years up to life imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.

The Superseding Indictment alleged that on or about July 13, 2011, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants, and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, aiding and abetting each other, did unlawfully and willfully seize, confine, kidnap, abduct, carry away and hold for the purpose of punishment and retribution, and, in committing or in furtherance of the commission of the offense, did willfully transport Kenneth Earl Ayres in interstate commerce from Texas to Oklahoma, regardless of whether he was alive when transported, and in committing this offense, did cause the death of Kenneth Earl Ayres.

The charges arose from a joint investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations Operation Community Shield Gang Task Force, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Longview Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Carrollton Texas Police Department, McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, Panola County Texas Sheriff’s Office, United States Bureau of Prisons, and the Texas Rangers.

The Honorable Kimberly E. West, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. The defendants will remain in custody pending a sentencing hearing.

Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace, and Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Harrington represented the United States.