Man Arrested on Kidnapping Charge

A Springfield man was arrested on a kidnapping charge following an incident Wednesday, December 16.

Springfield Police were called to a wooded area on private land in the 2400 block of North Cresthaven. A caller to 911 said that his girlfriend was being held against her will inside a tent at that location.

Officers arrived to find a woman being held inside the tent by a man later identified as Devin Ledbetter. Ledbetter would not allow the victim to exit the tent and had been holding her for several hours.

Police demanded that Ledbetter exit the tent. Ledbetter made several threatening statements to police before exiting the tent holding a large fixed blade knife.

Officers gave Ledbetter commands which he ignored, and then he stumbled as he moved toward officers, dropping the knife. He then stood by the knife and refused to move. Officers were eventually able to take Ledbetter to the ground and put him in custody.

Ledbetter was taken to the Greene County Jail. He is facing a count of second-degree kidnapping and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon.