Felony charges of kidnapping for extortion and robbery with a weapon have been dismissed against a Brooklyn, N.Y. man.
Those formal charges were filed in Lincoln County District Court last Nov. 18 against Xiaodong Zhang, 43.
Earlier this month the case was scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Special Judge Emily Mueller. The state announced the case was dismissed without prejudice and the judge ordered the case dismissed.
Court records also show the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in March returned a subpoena for Zhen Wang when officers were unable to serve him.
Zhang was arrested by Lincoln County deputies last November.
In the first felony, Zhang had been accused on Nov. 12 of forcibly seizing Zhen Wang from a grow facility at 339007 E. 890 Road, in the city of Chandler, in Lincoln County and confining him in the grow facility at that address for the purpose of extorting approximately $17,000 from Zhen Wang.
The second count had charged Zhang of robbing Zhen Wang on the same date and taking approximately $18,000 that belonged to and was in the possession of Wang without his consent and against his will.
The charge further stated Zhang used a firearm to threaten Zhen Wang with harm if he resisted Zhang of robbing him of the $18,000.
Originally, Associate District Judge Sheila Kirk had set Zhang’s preliminary hearing for Jan. 7. Reportedly he failed to show up on that date.
Judge Mueller then issued a $100,000 bench warrant for Zhang’s arrest and ordered a $50,000 bond forfeited that Judge Kirk had set earlier.
Records show that on Jan. 10, Zhang did appear in court with his attorney. During a hearing before Judge Kirk on failure to appear, the bondsman agreed to stay on the bond and the defendant was released and ordered to return 10 days later.
On Jan. 20 an order of continuance was filed and on March 4 is when Judge Mueller scheduled the April 7 preliminary hearing.
A probable cause affidavit stated that the alleged victim, Zhen Wang and the defendant Zang, were both shareholders in the grow operation.