Former NFL Player Jerrell Powe Arrested on Kidnapping Charge

The 35-year-old was apprehended in his home state of Mississippi, Ridgeland police chief Brian Myers said Monday.

Jerrell Powe, a former NFL player and Ole Miss standout, has been arrested on kidnapping charges in Mississippi, police said Monday. 

Ridgeland police chief Brian Myers told WLBT-TV that Powe and accomplice Gavin Bates were arrested at a bank in the suburb of Jackson, Miss., on Thursday. Powe, 35, was still in custody Monday with no bail set, booking records show. 

Myers said that the kidnapping began in Laurel, approximately 75 miles southeast of Jackson, and ended when the victim contacted Ridgeland police. The victim told officers that he was taken “against his will” and was “forced to withdraw money” at the bank, Myers said. 

The victim is safe, according to the police chief. Powe is scheduled to make his first appearance before a judge Tuesday.

Powe began his career at Ole Miss in 2008 as a defensive tackle and played for the Rebels for three seasons. He was named a member of the All-SEC second team in ’09 and ’10.

The Chiefs selected Powe in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft, and the Mississippi native would go on to play the next three seasons in Kansas City. He spent ’14 with the Texans and had a brief stint with the Commanders during the ’15 preseason. 

Powe announced his retirement from football in 2017.