Cherokee Nation: Two Young Men Not Abducted From Catoosa Casino

The Cherokee Nation says two young men were not abducted from the Hard Rock Casino in Catoosa, in spite of what they told Ramona police.

Their report of an abduction caused Ramona police to call in the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Cherokee Nation marshals and the FBI and forced a lockdown at Caney Valley Schools.

The men told police they'd escaped from the home where the man had taken them so law enforcement officers surrounded the house.

Ramona Police Chief Adam Walker said his department got a call about the case Monday morning, which began a standoff that lasted for more than five hours.

It ended when police took a man inside the house into custody Monday afternoon.

Monday afternoon Amanda Clinton, Director of Communications for the Cherokee Nation, released a statement saying surveillance video shows the two young men exiting the casino with the man they claimed abducted them. She said the men seemed to be under no duress and that all three could be seen getting into the same vehicle and leaving. 

She said any alleged abduction did not appear to have taken place on casino property.