He could face kidnapping charges if he holds people against their will
It’s been revealed that Dog the Bounty Hunter - the ex-reality TV star currently on the hunt for Brian Laundrie, the missing man wanted in connection of Instagrammer Gabby Petito’s murder - isn’t actually a real bounty hunter after all.
Not only that, it turns out that if Dog - real name Duane Chapman - actually manages to find his target, he could face kidnapping charges if he attempts to hold him against his will.
According to the
Mail, Chapman doesn’t have any legal authority or status as either a private investigator or a bounty hunter in the state of Florida - or anywhere else. In fact, his fellow colleagues in the Florida area have pointed out that he has about as much legal power as you or me.
Dog attracted media attention in late September when he visited Florida to join the search for Laundrie, fiancé of the recently murdered social media influencer Gabby Petito.
Despite looking like he was
making some early progress, Laundrie - who went missing in following a solo-hike in the Carlton Reserve national park - currently remains at large, with Chapman facing potential charges if he manages to locate the missing 23-year-old.
The star’s lack of legal standing apparently traces back to a 1976 murder conviction where he was involved in a drug deal gone awry which lead to his accomplice shooting and killing 69-year-old Jerry Oliver.
While Chapman didn’t participate in the murder, he was arrested and sentenced to five years in a state prison. It’s a fact that’s apparently well known among the private investigator community - a group which have since become agitated at his involvement in the Laundrie case.
“Everybody in the business knows Dog is doing this for publicity, maybe to land another TV show,” said Mike Harrison of the Florida Bail Bondsmen Association
“This is about getting more likes on social media, more exposure. But if he can find this kid (Laundrie), I guess more power to him.”
Despite not having the legal power to carry a weapon, Chapman and a team of ex-Marines and Navy Seals are currently searching for Laundrie on islands off the West Coast of Florida.
Meanwhile, the FBI have urged anyone with information on Laundrie’s whereabouts to contact them directly.
Related links:
