The former husband of an Arkansas City woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping her and then holding her hostage at gunpoint at his Newkirk home last June. After Ronnie Vaden serves five years with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the balance of his sentence will be suspended.
The 36-year-old man pleaded not guilty in September and was scheduled to take his case to a Kay County, Okla. jury Dec. 9. Instead, he pleaded no contest to felony counts of kidnapping Rebecca Vaden and possession of firearms after a conviction or during probation.
Investigators said earlier that Rebecca Vaden paid her former husband’s fines at Ark City Municipal Court because he didn’t have away to Ark City. She drove to his home so he could pay her back but Vaden answered the door with a gun pointed at her and warned he would shoot if she screamed.
He held her for a time at his home, then drove around the country. Her daughters called several times and Rebecca Vaden eventually was released after she promised to move to Newkirk.
Ronnie Vaden was later arrested at his home.
