2 people indicted for kidnapping, robbing an Uber driver in Minneapolis on Christmas Day

A Minneapolis man and woman were indicted in federal court for the violent robbery and kidnapping of an Uber driver on Christmas Day. 

Antwon Demondray Townsend-Davis, 23, and Kevena Takhyra Terry-Ford, 20, were each charged with two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of kidnapping in federal court on Monday for allegedly stealing an Uber driver's car and money on Christmas day. 

According to Hennepin County court documents, Townsend-Davis and Terry-Ford requested an Uber on Dec. 25 to go to a gas station in Minneapolis. The driver picked them up, drove them to their location, and brought them back home. 

At the end of the ride, the pair told the driver not to move and threatened to shoot him. They demanded the driver hand over his wallet, phone and passcode, charges say. 

The driver was instructed to go to a bank and withdraw money, but the ATM was out of cash, the complaint says. The Uber driver then went to the same gas station as earlier where Townsend-Davis went inside and withdrew about $1400. 

Townsend-Davis forced the Uber driver to move into the passenger seat, and he drove to another bank. They attempted to withdraw more money and transferred funds from the driver’s Zelle account to Terry-Ford's girlfriend's account, according to the charges. 

After the funds were transferred, the Uber driver was ordered to get out of the car and Townsend-Davis drove off. 

Just two days later the pair "used force, violence, and fear of injury" to rob a gas station in Minneapolis, the Department of Justice said. 

Townsend-Davis turned himself in to the police on Dec. 29 and Terry-Ford was taken into custody on Dec. 30. 

Townsend-Davis and Terry-Ford made their first appearance in federal court on Monday. They both face an additional charge of second-degree aggravated robbery in Hennepin County court. 

MinneapolisCrime and Public Safety