When confronted by men who bullied their way into his house claiming to be law enforcement officers with “jurisdiction over anything and everything,” Rick Ramos thought he had no choice but to cooperate.

Testifying Monday before a jury in Douglas County District Court, Ramos and his mother recounted the night of Jan. 15, 2001, when four men allegedly intimidated them in their eastern Lawrence home.

The men were looking for Terry Finch, described by Ramos as an acquaintance. They told him Finch was wanted in a Kansas City-area murder-conspiracy case.

Ramos and his mother, Gloria Ramos, identified one of the men who allegedly burst in that night as Tim James, 41, of Lawrence. James is being tried on charges of aggravated burglary, impersonating a police officer and two counts of kidnapping. His trial began Monday.

“He was walking around, looking back and forth,” Rick Ramos said of James.

“I thought he was in charge,” Gloria Ramos said.

Gloria Ramos said she was getting ready to go to bed that night when she answered a knock at the door. A man she has since identified as Michael Johnson, 34, of Kansas City, Mo., entered her house claiming to have a search warrant and saying he wanted to talk to Rick Ramos.

“I thought they were law enforcement officers because Mike was always saying he had jurisdiction over anything and everything,” Gloria Ramos said.

Johnson said he was an agent for U.S. Bonding Co., Rick Ramos testified.

Last month, Johnson pleaded no contest to two counts of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated burglary and one count of impersonation of a police officer. He is to be sentenced Thursday.

Johnson and James were the only ones charged in the case. A third suspect was shot to death last year in Kansas City, Mo. A fourth suspect was never identified by law enforcement officers.

In court Monday, Rick Ramos testified that he agreed to lead the men to an apartment building in Kansas City where they might find Finch. He said Johnson promised him a $1,000 reward signed by Kansas Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall if he helped find Finch.

After arriving at the apartment building, the men called Kansas City police, who checked the apartment. Finch was not there, Rick Ramos said. Johnson and James then took Ramos back to Lawrence.

Two days later Rick Ramos said he called the Douglas County Crime Stoppers hot line and asked about the reward money and whether Finch had been captured. He said he was told by Lawrence Police Det. Dave Anderson there was no reward for Finch.

Police then began an investigation into the incident at the Ramos house. Charges were filed last January.

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

The trial continues today before Judge Michael Malone.