AMARILLO, TEXAS -- U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks says 58-year-old, Ronnie Joe Stowers of Tulia, Texas, has pleaded guilty to kidnapping his former girlfriend and taking her by force from Castro County, Texas, to New Mexico.
Stowers entered his guilty plea to one count of kidnapping before U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Robinson on February 12, 2010. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison.
Back in October, Stowers kidnapped his ex-girlfriend for the purpose of terrorizing her. According to court documents she was outside her home when she noticed a pickup near her home which she suspected was driven by her ex-boyfriend. The woman then called the Castro County Sheriff's Office, and got into her car and drove toward the suspicious vehicle to identify the driver. The truck turned around and started driving toward her so she turned the car around and started driving back to her home. The suspect vehicle rammed the car forcing her off the road. At this point, the Sheriff's Office called her and heard screams for help. Stowers then exited his truck, walked to her car with a shotgun, and drug her out of her car, threatening to kill her. He hit her in the face,forced her into his truck, and drove west.
