Two bounty hunters were ordered by a Douglas County judge to be tried on kidnapping and burglary charges for allegedly holding a man and a woman against their will.

Michael L. Johnson, 34, Kansas City, Mo., and Timothy J. James, 40, Lawrence, used deception and posed as law enforcement officers the night of Jan. 15, 2001, when they went to a Lawrence residence searching for a fugitive, Douglas County prosecutors said during a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Michael Malone.

Rick Ramos, who lived at the residence with his mother, Gloria Ramos, told the court Johnson and James were two of four men who wanted him to help them find a fugitive identified as Terry Finch. They said Finch was wanted in a Kansas City-area murder conspiracy.

“I thought they were some type of law enforcement officers,” Rick Ramos said. “He (Johnson) said he was a special agent with the United States Bonding Co.”

The four men came to the Ramos home about 11 p.m. and asked to see Rick Ramos, Gloria Ramos testified. Johnson said he had a search warrant and held a piece of paper but never showed it to her, she said. They bullied their way into the house when Gloria Ramos went to get her son.

Rick Ramos said he knew Finch and agreed to go with the men to find him only after he became afraid they might harm his mother.

Rick Ramos took them to a residence in Kansas City, Kan., and Johnson called police. The ensuing police search failed to turn up the fugitive.

Johnson promised a $1,000 reward signed by Kansas Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall if information Ramos provided led to Finch.

Two days later, Rick Ramos called Douglas County Crime Stoppers to ask about a possible reward and learned there was none. The call led to a police investigation.

Charges against James were filed in January. Johnson was charged in May.

James has been serving a 21-year sentence in Lansing Correctional Facility after being convicted last year in Jefferson County for planning a burglary that led to the beating of an elderly Perry man.

Johnson was taken into federal custody for parole violation shortly before charges were filed in Douglas County.

Both suspects pleaded innocent to two counts of kidnapping and one count each of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, aggravated burglary, conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary and false impersonation of a police officer.

James will be tried Aug. 12. Johnson will be tried Aug. 26.