Inmates Escaped Ga. Jail Before Allegedly Kidnapping Rideshare Driver, Forcing Her to Drive Across State Lines

Three inmates who escaped from a Georgia jail and were later captured in Florida are accused of kidnapping a rideshare driver and threatening to kill her, according to authorities.

Stevenson Charles, 24, Yusuf Minor, 31, and Naod Yohannes, 25, escaped from the DeKalb County Jail after a routine security check on the morning of Monday, Dec. 22 revealed they were missing, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said at the time.

A federal criminal complaint alleges that the trio fled the jail using a rideshare service that was requested by a woman later identified at a press conference as Minor’s girlfriend. Officials said the service used was Lyft.

In a statement, a Lyft spokesperson said the company was “deeply concerned by this incident and relieved that the driver is safe,” adding that Lyft had spoken with the driver to offer support and was cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues.

According to the complaint, the driver — who was not identified — said she felt uneasy when three men entered the vehicle instead of the woman who had requested the ride. Despite her concerns, she drove them to their destination.

After arriving, one of the men allegedly wrapped a rope around the driver’s neck from behind. Her wrists were bound, and she was forced into the back seat. The men instructed her to keep her head down and eyes closed, repeatedly warning her not to struggle or she would be killed, the complaint states.

The driver said she feared for her life and was held against her will for approximately six to 10 hours. During that time, the men allegedly accessed her personal banking information and bank cards.

Authorities further allege that the suspects forced the victim to drive to south Florida, where her credit card was used to pay for a short-term rental property in Miramar — roughly 650 miles from the jail.

At one point, the driver attempted to escape but was allegedly assaulted by one of the men, who threatened to shoot, rape, and torture her, according to the complaint.

Local and federal authorities were able to track the vehicle using license plate readers, which detected it in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. While conducting surveillance, officers spotted the vehicle being driven by someone matching Charles’ description.

When police attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver — believed to be Charles — allegedly led officers on a pursuit before fleeing on foot. He was eventually located and taken into custody. A handgun was recovered along the pursuit route, authorities said.

The two other suspects were arrested later that night. Yohannes was a passenger in the vehicle, while Minor surrendered to police at the rental property, according to the complaint.

Charles and Yohannes made their initial appearances in federal court in Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 23 on kidnapping charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a press release. Minor was scheduled to make his initial appearance on Dec. 29.

It remains unclear whether the suspects have entered pleas. Authorities have not disclosed responses from their attorneys.

At the time of the escape, Charles was awaiting trial on federal charges related to a 2022 murder and armed robbery and had been transferred to state custody on Dec. 5. Minor was being held on charges of armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Yohannes was facing charges of simple assault, arson, and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution.

Officials declined to provide detailed information about how the escape occurred. DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox said she plans to push for improvements at the jail facility.