A man convicted Wednesday of kidnapping twoBryanCountybusinessmen claimed he was framed.

Antonio Lamont Murray, 39, of Pembroke, denied involvement in the Dec. 1 kidnapping of Timothy Marshlett and the Jan. 12 kidnapping of Billy Downs, said Bobby Phillips,Murray’s attorney.

Murraysaid his half-brother and a cousin lied about his involvement in the dramatic kidnapping schemes, Phillips said.

A jury deliberated three hours Wednesday, from 10:30 a.m. to around 1:30 p.m., then returned a guilty verdict on all seven counts on which Murray was indicted:conspiracy to commit kidnapping, two counts of kidnapping, six counts of using a firearm during acts of violence and obstruction of justice. – 10 COUNTS

Senior U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield is expected to hand down a sentence “in a couple of months,” Phillips said.

Gary Lenion McDonald, 36, of Statesboro, and Cecil Dewitt Nelson, 32, of Pembroke, both pleaded guilty recently to conspiring with others to commit kidnappings. Both face a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Read full story in the Aug. 25 issue of the Bryan County News.