Bakery leader enters plea in Oakland kidnapping, torture case

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 30, 2007 | by Paul T. Rosynsky

OAKLAND - Your Black Muslim Bakery leader Yusuf Bey IV pleaded not guilty Thursday to more than two dozen felony charges including kidnapping, torture and real estate fraud.

Wearing a red Alameda County Jail jump suit, Bey answered "yes sir" to questions posed by the judge as his attorney said he would plead not guilty to the criminal charges filed against him.

Bey IV and two other members of the bakery, Joshua Bey, 21, and Tamon Halfin, 20 are accused of using a fake police cruiser to capture two women they thought had money. They then drove the women to a house in East Oakland and tortured one until a police officer on routine patrol saw the fake car and investigated.

Joshua Bey and Halfin also appeared in court Thursday. Bey already plead not guilty to the charges filed against him. Halfin did not enter a plea since his attorney Michael Berger, still needs to review the case.

In addition, Halfin had new charges filed against him for real estate fraud and identity theft in relation to the purchase of two houses in East Oakland.