From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM – A Birmingham man pleaded guilty last week to kidnapping and collecting ransom money, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Johnnie Sharp, Jr., and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
Burke was arrested and charged along with his girlfriend at the time, Tabatha Nicole Hodges, for the 2020 kidnapping of Birmingham businessman Elton B. Stephens Jr. from his Mountain Brook home. Police say the couple transported Stephens to a home in Remlap in an effort to hold him for ransom or reward.
No disposition has been filed in Hodges’ case as yet.
The plea agreement states that on September 11, 2020, Burke unlawfully entered the home of the victim. Burke then abducted the victim and transported him to Burke’s residence, where the victim was forced to transfer $250,000 from his bank account into another bank account as directed by Burke. Once $250,000 was transferred, Burke drove the victim back to his residence and released him. The victim then contacted the Birmingham Police Department and the Mountain Brook Police Department.
The FBI and Secret Service investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department and the Mountain Brook Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys John Camp and William Simpson are prosecuting the case.