‘Joker’ joins his dad ‘Peckerwood’ in pleading guilty to kidnap and torture

A Kansas City man known as “Joker” pleaded guilty Friday to kidnapping and torturing an Independence man over a bag full of stolen drug money.

Gerald L. Holmes, 26, also known as Jerry, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and drug trafficking charges.

Holmes’ father, Randal G. Holmes, 54, known as “Peckerwood” or Wood, last month pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

The case is pending against a third defendant, 76-year-old Richard Phoenix, known as Snake.

In September 2016, Gerald and Randal Holmes kidnapped at gunpoint the Independence man identified in court documents as C.H.

They accused him of stealing a duffel bag full of cash that had been given to him to buy marijuana in Colorado.

C.H. was taken to the basement of a house in Kansas City, where he was punched, choked and tortured with a hammer and tin snips.

When Randal and Gerald Holmes left, Phoenix allegedly held a gun on C.H.

Later, he was driven to another house in Benton County, Mo., where he was again punched and pistol-whipped.

While there, C.H. was allowed to call his father. Police were able to trace the call, and officers arrested Gerald Holmes and his father.

Police noted that C.H.’s face was bruised and swollen and he had broken bones in his hand.

Sentencing dates have not been set.

This story was originally published August 17, 2018 at 1:17 PM.