Two Tennessee residents were recently punished by a judge for kidnapping and abusing a 17-year-old girl to get money from her family in 2022.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas announced on Thursday, Nov. 2, that Samuel Bolling Jr., age 40, had been sentenced to life in prison and Dayla Ferrer, age 21, to 15 years in prison as his co-defendant.

Missing Arkansas Teen Found and Kidnapping Suspects Arrested in Extortion Plot

The missing teenager Trynytee Case was discovered at 4737 Central Ave. on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, just after 3:20 p.m., according to the Hot Springs Police Department. She was taken to a nearby hospital after suffering minor injuries.

Bolling and Ferrer were the main suspects, according to the police, who found them at 4810 Central Ave. at around 5:52 p.m. On suspicion of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, first-degree violence, and first-degree false imprisonment, they were placed under arrest.

According to court records obtained by the attorney’s office, Ferrer contacted the victim in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, on April 18, 2022, and requested her assistance. According to reports, the girl entered Ferrer’s vehicle, but Bolling ambushed her out of nowhere and restrained her.

Bolling and Ferrer reportedly called the girl’s family and asked for $10,000 to ensure her safe departure, according to the attorney’s office.

According to WHBQ-TV, when Case’s coworker called but no one picked up, she told her mother, who then gave it a shot. Someone allegedly responded to Case’s mother’s call after multiple attempts and replied, “Everything is fine.” According to reports, a male answered the phone and threatened to break up with the girl if she didn’t present the cash.

The girl was held overnight by Bolling and Ferrer, and then released the following day.