Letterman Targeted in Kidnapping Plot

Bears going through his trash are one thing. But kidnappers? That's not the kind of funny business David Letterman's used to dealing with at his vacation hideaway.

Authorities in Montana have nabbed a man for allegedly plotting to abduct the Late Show host's infant son and nanny from his isolated Rocky Mountain ranch and hold them for $5 million ransom.

Sally Hilander, a spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Corrections, identified the suspect as Kelly A. Frank, a subcontractor who had been doing some painting work at the sprawling 2,700-acre retreat in Choteau that Letterman bought in 1999.

Hilander said authorities were tipped off to the ransom scheme by an acquaintance Frank tried to recruit for the plot. The unidentified friend balked and went to police, who tracked down Frank on Sunday.

The 43-year-old was arraigned Thursday on charges of felony solicitation, felony theft (for apparently overcharging the Late Show host for painting) and misdemeanor obstruction for allegedly lying to detectives who were investigating the plot. He's currently jailed on $600,000 bail.

Per an affidavit filed by Teton County Attorney Joe Coble, Frank told the acquaintance he had a key to the compound, knew the location of the baby's room and hoped to sweep in when Letterman and his family returned to the ranch. Frank is quoted as telling his friend that he wanted to take the nanny "so that she could take care of the child."

A spokesperson for Letterman's production company, World Wide Pants, declined to comment on the arrest. Letterman had finished taping this week's Late Show days ago, and there was no word on whether he, girlfriend Regina Lasko and their 16-month-old son, Harry Joseph, were in Montana or the New York region.

Apparently Letterman had hired Frank without knowing about the handyman's prior record. Frank was under state supervision for a 1999 conviction on a felony count of intimidation. He received a 10-year suspended sentence and was placed on probation for the crime.

Until now, the worst Letterman has had to deal with in Montana are bad winters and rogue bears. A 300-pound black bear twice broke into the ranch house in 2003 and, upon returning a third time, was trapped and relocated.

Frank's arrest conjured memories of Margaret Ray, the persistent stalker who proclaimed herself "Mrs. David Letterman" and was repeatedly arrested for breaking into the talk show host's Connecticut home. She served 10 months in prison and 14 months in a mental hospital, where she was diagnosed a schizophrenic. In 1998, she committed suicide by stepping in front of a train.

I read about that this morning.

Dave sure has had some weird stuff happen to him.

Isn't this a movie with Robert Deniro & Jerry Lewis?

In that movie, the comedian is kidnapped. The target here was Letterman's son and nanny.

What is it about Letterman that attracts the psychos? Between this and the woman that was stalking him...

Damn.

If only we could've convinced him to kidnap Leno instead. Imagine the good that would come from that one single act..

Now that this news has brought so much publicity for Letterman, you just know Leno is going to copy that and make it as his.

---Leno targeted in kidnapping plot, Conan not involved---

Newsflash: source-assoicated press
Police interrogated John Melendez as a person of interest. Sources report that Melendez is quoted, "I've gotten so mad one day when Leno forgot to ask the audience to say hi to me."

Makes you wonder about Larry Bud...

I wonder if this is going to push Dave to retire sooner than he originally planned. I think when that woman was stalking him so many years ago, he wasn't all that worried. But you can tell he adores Harry, and I wonder if he just might retire and pull a disappearing act like Carson did when he retired so he's out of the spotlight and, hopefully, these psychos will pick a different target.

I think Dave likes working on the show, though he shuns the typical showbiz trappings. I think he may be doing the only job he would ever find intriguing to himself, which is probably the only reason he continues. I don't see him leaving for some time yet.