Celebrity “Poser” Charged with Kidnapping

Ok… so Santa Claus really isn’t a celebrity; he kind of sort of is. It’s things like these that remind me of what a sick, sick world we live in.

A man dressed as Santa Claus lured an 8-year-old girl onto his motorcycle and drove away, and her father chased him until he pulled over and gave her back, authorities said.

The man, John Michael Barton, 55, was charged with kidnapping, police said. He was being held in jail Monday night on $100,000 bond.

The girl, of Augusta, Ga., and her family stopped at a convenience store off Interstate 20 on Sunday night when they noticed Barton, dressed in a Santa Claus suit, refueling his motorcycle, police said.

Parents told police that Barton asked the children to come over and look at a stuffed Rudolph he had in his sidecar. Then, parents saw Barton driving away with their 8-year-old girl, authorities said.

The girl’s father followed Barton, reaching speeds up to 80 mph and flashing his headlights repeatedly, police said. Barton eventually stopped at a parking lot and the father picked up the girl, who was not injured.

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Celebrity “Poser” Charged with Kidnapping

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