He’s accused of threatening child’s life to get $18K in gift cards

Columbia Police are looking for 20-year-old Ashad J. Brooks who allegedly threatened the life of a mother’s child to convince her to give him thousands of dollars in gift cards from the store where she worked.

In June, 2017, the Walmart worker gave Brooks nearly $18,000 worth of Visa gift cards out of fear for her child’s safety, police said in a news release on Wednesday.

Brooks faces blackmail and extortion charges as well as the charge of obtaining property under false pretenses.

If you know Brooks’ whereabouts, you are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME SC.