Gerald Cox, a former Democratic lawmaker from St. Charles, is wanted by police after being charged in a kidnapping plot in Maryland Heights.

Cox served in the State House from 1979-1980, and again in 1983-84. Since leaving politics, he has become a bail bondsman, which has proved a colorful career choice.

In 2005, a rival bondsman put out a hit on Cox’s life, which led the state to crack down on allowing felons to become bondsman.

Even so, Cox’s partner is his son Jim, who, as the Riverfront Times reported earlier this year, was a Florissant police officer until he pleaded guilty to planting drugs on a woman in order to make a false arrest.

Today, according to Post-Dispatch cops reporter Patrick M. O’Connell, both father and son have been charged with kidnapping in connection with an August incident where they allegedly held a man against his will until the captive’s mother paid $5,500 for his release.

Gerald and Jim Cox are both are accused of ordering four other men to break into a Maryland Heights motel to bring the man to their office.

Maryland Heights police went to arrest Gerald Cox this morning but, according to O’Connell, he remains at large.