Clackamas man held on kidnapping charges in Illinois

Paul Bradley in jail on sex abuse and kidnapping charges after police find a teenage boy in his rental car

The Clackamas Review, May 28, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

A Clackamas man is being held in an Illinois jail on $1 million bail on charges of kidnapping and sexual assault.

Paul R. Bradley, whose last known address was in the 11800 block of Southeast Koala Drive, was arrested at about midnight Monday, May 25, after police in Mount Carmel, Ill., stopped to check on the the silver 2009 Honda Accord rented in Evansville, Ind., Bradley was driving. During the traffic stop, Mount Carmel Police discovered that Bradley, 52, had an unrelated 15-year-old boy from Wabash County, Ill., in the Honda.

“An extensive investigation was done at that time because information was obtained that the subject was keeping the 15-year-old subject against his will,” said Mount Carmel, Ill. Police Chief Jeff Besing. “As a result of the investigation, Mr. Bradley has been charged with nine felony-type charges.”

READ THE DATA: • Click here to listen as the Mount Carmel police chief discusses Paul Bradley’s arrest.

After an investigation, Bradley was charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sexual assault, child pornography, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, traveling to meet a minor, solicitation to meet a child, unlawful restraint, and child abduction. His preliminary hearing is set for June 22.

Besing said Bradley wasn’t pulled over for a traffic infraction, but was stopped on the side of the road when officers stopped to check on him.

“He was pulled off to the side of the road and outside of his vehicle and due to the amount of burglaries and stuff that we have, our officers are just in the habit of checking on vehicles meeting that kind of criteria, so that’s how this all transpired,” he said.

BEsing said he believes Bradley met the child on the Internet, but said he could not comment further. He said the Federal Bureau of Investigations was involved in the investigation.

Mount Carmel is a town of about 7,500 in the southeast corner of the state near the Illinois and Indiana border. It is close to Interstate 64 between Louisville and St. Louis.