Life for gang leader behind Wake County prosecutor's father kidnapping
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A federal judge sentenced convicted gang leader Kelvin Melton to life in prison plus 84 months in the kidnapping of a Wake County prosecutor's father Thursday.
Melton, 51, orchestrated the abduction of Frank Janssen from his Wake Forest home in April 2014. Janssen's daughter Colleen sent Melton to prison for life as a dangerous felon for a 2012 attempted gangland murder.
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The FBI says Melton used smuggled cell phones from behind the walls of the Butner Correctional Center to direct gang members during the kidnapping.
Five days later, after agents intercepted a call in which the four kidnappers were told to kill Janssen, an FBI hostage recovery team raided an Atlanta apartment, rescuing him.
Melton was convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, attempted kidnapping and aiding and abetting, kidnapping and aiding and abetting, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a kidnapping and aiding and abetting.
The judge ordered Melton held at the supermax prison for male inmates located in Fremont County, Colorado, saying he will always try to commit crimes from behind bars.
