Southern Illinois man faces federal kidnapping charge

BENTON, Ill. -- An Illinois man was charged Monday with federal kidnapping in the abduction of a Burger King employee, who later escaped near the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, authorities said.

Jonathan Milton Martin, 43, of Centralia walked into the Burger King in West Frankfort, about 90 miles southeast of St. Louis, on Thursday and handed an employee a job application with a handwritten note warning that he had a gun, federal prosecutors said.

According to the criminal complaint, Martin ordered all the employees into the restaurant's freezer except assistant manager Kim McGhee, 35. Martin then told McGhee to remove all the money from the restaurant's cash drawers and all of the video tapes from the surveillance cameras, and forced her into his van, the complaint said.

Martin drove to St. Louis with McGhee on the floor of the van, parked on the riverfront and attacked McGee, but she was able to escape and call for help, the complaint said.

West Frankfort police have said McGhee was not seriously injured.

Authorities arrested Martin on Sunday after a high speed chase that began in Centralia and ended about 40 miles away in O'Fallon, the FBI said.

If convicted of federal kidnapping, Martin could face up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney or if the Franklin County State's Attorneys Office had filed separate charges.