A Louisville man with a history involving manslaughter and child abuse charges is now facing kidnapping and robbery charges after police say he used a dating app to lure a victim and steal his belongings. John Wolf, also known as Johnny Lee Juliot, was arrested in connection with the case.
According to WHAS11, the alleged encounter involved Wolf meeting the victim through a dating app. Police say Wolf stole a PlayStation 5 and a pair of Meta smart glasses from the man before forcing him into his own vehicle. The seed report from WDRB confirms Wolf is accused of both kidnapping and robbing a man he met on a dating app.
The account also describes allegations related to what police say happened after the initial theft and abduction.
A Lengthy List of Charges and a Violent Past
Court records reviewed by the station show Wolf has a history involving manslaughter and child abuse charges. In addition to kidnapping, robbery, and carjacking, the same account describes other allegations.
The article also discusses Wolf's case. Under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 515.020, first-degree robbery is a Class B felony carrying a sentence of 10 to 20 years, and Kentucky's violent offender laws require individuals convicted of the crime to serve at least 85 percent of that sentence before becoming eligible for probation, according to the Baldani Law Group. Kidnapping carries its own tiered penalties: under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 509.040, the charge is a Class B felony punishable by 10 to 20 years when a victim is released alive and unharmed, but it escalates to a Class A felony carrying 20 to 50 years or life in prison if the victim suffers serious physical injury, according to Suhre & Associates.
Part of a Pattern of App-Facilitated Robberies in Louisville
This is not the first time Louisville police have investigated a robbery suspect accused of using a dating app to target a victim. WDRB reported in 2021 that Louisville Metro Police had previously investigated a case in which one suspect used Grindr to contact one victim, alongside five similar robberies. The article also discusses apps like Grindr and crimes including armed robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping. It also mentions other cases.
The article discusses broader risks. The article also discusses location-based hookup apps.
The article also discusses similar cases in Louisville. WHAS11 reported that Louisville police had arrested 32-year-old Alexander Luckenbill on first-degree robbery and kidnapping charges after he allegedly forced a Louisville woman to drive to an ATM at gunpoint to withdraw cash. Hoodline reported on another recent kidnapping prosecution, and the outlet has also covered another Louisville kidnapping prosecution following a mental-health review.
