Calif. Police: Couple Kidnapped Foreign Student to Deport Him

Police in California have arrested two people in the alleged kidnapping of a flight school student, The Washington Post reported.

Jonathan McConkey, a pilot and flight instructor, and Kelsi Hoser, a ground instructor, are accused of orchestrating the kidnapping of flight student Tianshu “Chris” Shi, The Post reported.

Dozens of Chinese nationals with student visas are among the students at the IASCO Flight Training school in Redding, Calif. The school contracted with China’s civil aviation authority for the training, The Post reported.

Shi made an audio recording of the pair, with the McConkey threatening to break Shi’s arm, The Record Searchlight reported.

“You are here illegal, you know that. If you don’t go with us, you go to jail,” a woman’s voice said on the recording.

Redding police rescued Shi at the airport before he could be put on a plane to China, after receiving a call from Shi’s brother, who was in Shanghai.

McConkey and Hoser were arrested and charged in conspiracy and kidnapping, The Post reported.

The Record Searchlight reported that at least one other Chinese student in the program has said McConkey and Hoser attempted to remove him in nearly an identical manner.

“They treated (Shi) like an animal, not a human being,” said Shi’s roommate, The Record Searchlight reported.

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