A Jefferson City man has been charged with two counts of first-degree robbery after an incident that occurred Wednesday in the Capital City.
Ryan Tatham, 34, is also charged with one count of second-degree kidnapping.
A Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement said investigators were told a man had been hired by Tatham’s mortgage company in October 2018 for construction work on Tatham’s residence in the 1400 block of Cottage Lane before loan paperwork was finalized on the property.
The man reportedly completed the work, but stopped contact with Tatham due to hostility issues, regarding Tatham not being satisfied with work that had been completed. The man said Tatham allegedly wanted him to do work that was not part of the contract.
The man was paid half of the money owed him from an escrow account that had been set up. He had no further contact with Tatham until Wednesday when the man claimed he was confronted at his residence in Cole County by Tatham who demanded money from him.
The man claimed Tatham kept his hands behind his back in a manner that made him believe Tatham was armed with a gun. He gave money to Tatham, but he allegedly wanted more.
The man then drove to his ATM in the 900 block of Eastland Drive, with Tatham following. Tatham got out of his vehicle and again placed his hand behind his back in a manner the man felt indicted Tatham had a gun.
He reportedly asked Tatham if he was going to shoot him, and Tatham allegedly said, “Not in broad daylight.”
The man then removed an undisclosed amount of cash from the ATM and gave it Tatham who counted it and said it was not the right amount. The man said he tried to get more money, but Tatham fled the area.
A check of surveillance video near the ATM apparently showed the man getting money from the ATM and giving it to Tatham.