Man arrested at Circus Circus charged with kidnapping

By Gregan Wingert

Friday, Nov. 18, 2011 | 7:23 p.m.

A 41-year-old Illinois man arrested in February at the Circus Circus Hotel & Casino was charged by a Clark County grand jury Friday for allegedly kidnapping and severely beating a 24-year-old Illinois woman.

James McNamara, of Markham Ill., has been charged with felony counts of first-degree kidnapping with substantial bodily harm and drug possession, according to the Clark County District Attorney's Office.

McNamara was arrested in February 2011 for allegedly abducting Kathryn Sharp, who was 24 at the time, in December of 2010, the arrest report says. He is currently being held on $500,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 23 before Judge Jessie Walsh.

Sharp met McNamara in an Illinois bar in August 2010 and befriended him, the report says. But when McNamara asked Sharp to be more than friends she refused, police said.

Sharp told police she wouldn’t date a chubby white guy with a mullet, the report says.

McNamara told her he was in a Hells Angels motorcycle gang and allegedly started making threats to Sharp saying if she didn’t do what he wanted and move in with him he’d kill Sharp, her sister and mother, the report said.

Fearing for her own safety and the safety of her family, Sharp moved into McNamara’s home on Dec. 12, 2010, the report says.

A few days after the move, McNamara allegedly beat and stabbed Sharp on numerous occasions with items such as a hammer, an aluminum baseball bat and hunting knives, the report says.

Sharp told police she felt forced to have sex to avoid beatings and was too afraid to leave, according to the arrest report. During the course of two months Sharp was not allowed to bathe or seek medical attention, she told police.

McNamara allegedly tried to get Sharp addicted to cocaine, so she wouldn’t leave him, the report says.

On Feb. 13, 2011, McNamara and Sharp flew to Las Vegas, the report says. Sharp was told it was for her birthday, which is Feb. 18.

The two stayed at the Circus Circus, the report says. While McNamara was asleep, Sharp fled from their hotel room to find help, police said.

When Metro Police arrived they found Sharp with bruises and cuts covering her body, many infected, according to the arrest report.

Sharp had been transported to University Medical Center to treat her injuries, the report said. McNamara was taken into custody and booked at the Clark County Detention Center.