Missouri businessman involved in mistaken-identity kidnapping in N.J. dies

Roy Slates pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in connection with his role in the kidnapping of the wrong New Jersey businessman.

NEWTON -- Roy Slates, the Missouri businessman who helped set in motion the mistaken-identity kidnapping of a Newton pet shop owner seven years ago, has died.

Roy Slates of Nevada, Mo.Vernon County Prosecutor's Office (Mo.) 

Slates, 63, of Nevada, Mo., died on May 20 at Barton County Memorial Hospital in Lamar, Mo., according to his obituary. 

Slates, who owned and operated Slates Construction, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years for his role in the kidnapping of the wrong Jeffrey Muller in January 2010.

As previously reported by NJ Advance Media, William Barger enlisted Lonny Swarnes, Swarnes' nephew, Andrew Wadel, and Douglas Stangeland to kidnap Jeffrey Muller, a Mahwah money broker, by telling them they would be considered for membership in a new Hell's Angels motorcycle chapter he was forming, if they kidnapped him.

Barger falsely claimed he was the son of Hell's Angel motorcycle club founder Ralph "Sonny" Barger, authorities have said.

Barger sought to recoup some of the $500,000 that was lost by Slates to Muller in a business deal. Barger and the kidnappers would get a portion of the proceeds.

The trio instead abducted the wrong Jeffrey Muller, and during a 1,200-mile trip to Nevada, their car broke down in Lake Ozark, Mo., allowing the Newton Muller to escape.

Barger was sentenced in 2015 to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree accomplice liability. Wadel also pleaded guilty and is serving two concurrent 18-year sentences.

Stangeland was convicted on all charges in 2015 -- including conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit a kidnapping -- but his sentencing was postponed after he fell into a coma and was placed on life support at Morristown Medical Center following his conviction.

Swarnes, who was sentenced to 25 years for kidnapping and extortion, has appealed his sentence.

Swarnes has said he was serving as a confidential informant for the Missouri State Highway Patrol at the time of the kidnapping so he believes that should be a mitigating factor in his sentencing, Sussex County First Assistant Prosecutor Greg Mueller has said. According to the prosecutor, Swarnes had been fired by that agency prior to the kidnapping.