A Golden Gate man is behind bars, charged in a bizarre kidnapping case that involved another suspect who was arrested several weeks ago. Marc Clayton, 38, is charged with false imprisonment, armed robbery and aggravated battery after a man said he and Rudy Perez, 32, held him against his will, robbed him and threatened his life.
The victim, Rodney Roberson, told Collier County Sheriff's Office detectives that on April 4, he went to the Golden Gate home of Clayton - a boyfriend of Roberson's ex-girlfriend - to help him get his car out of impound. Once inside the home, Roberson said Clayton and Perez blocked the door, and that Perez struck him in the nose with the butt of a handgun, and back-handed him in the mouth causing him to bleed.
Roberson told detectives that Clayton grabbed him around the neck and demanded to know where some of his possessions were, which he apparently believed his ex-girlfriend stole from Clayton. He said he was struck several more times, then made to strip and get in the bathtub while blindfolded. He said a gun was held to his head, and that he thought he was about to be killed.
The victim said he was then made to call his mother to get her to wire him $5,000. She wired him only $500, which he said Clayton and Perez drove him at point to pick up at the Western Union in the Publix near Pine Ridge Road and I-75.
Back at Clayton's home in the 1700 block of Sunshine Boulevard, Roberson said Clayton and Perez ordered a pizza and took some Xanax, making Roberson take some too. He fought to stay awake and when the others fell asleep, he slipped out a window and escaped.
Rudy Perez was arrested April 5 after a police chase that ended near the Vineyards. A deputy rescued him from drowning when Perez jumped into a pond and tried to swim across to the other side. He's being held on multiple charges including kidnapping, aggravated battery and armed robbery. His bond was set at $117,000. He will be in court Monday May 1.
Marc Clayton was arrested at his home in Golden Gate. He faces similar charges, on $90,000 bond. His next court date will be May 22.
