Attempted kidnapping charges brought against two men earlier this month were dismissed after a preliminary hearing Monday, Aug. 19, at which a judge determined a lack of probable cause.

Robert Hollis and Andrei Gouchtchine were both arrested and charged with second-degree attempted kidnapping at Sportsman Lake Park Aug. 4, when a witness, Arthur Cash, alerted law enforcement that he observed Hollis engaged in what he believed to be suspicious activity.

Cash previously told The Times he had been attending a birthday party when he witnessed Hollis walking around and making a phone call outside one of the park’s restroom facilities while three of the party’s young female guests were inside.

Cash said he did not witness Hollis attempt to enter the restrooms and did not overhear either men threaten or coerce any children at the park.

He did say he watched Hollis purchase an ice cream cone at the park’s concession stand and give it to a young girl who was accompanied by her grandmother. He later told the grandmother, “she needed to get her [granddaughter] because I thought he was a child molester and was going to kidnap her.”

Hollis’ appointed attorney, Michael Thornton, said Hollis had been at the park to inquire about a refund for a previously rented pavilion he had booked for birthday party that had been cancelled the day before the incident took place.

After hearing the testimony of the arresting officer, Cullman County Sheriff’s Deputy Austin White, District Judge Rusty Turner dismissed the cases against both individuals due to a lack of probable cause.

Following the decision, Thornton said the case could be refiled if new evidence is discovered, but was confident that any additional facts would only serve to prove the innocence of his client.

“I’m thankful for the safeguards that the system has in place such as these preliminary hearings. I think the process has worked. I don’t think [Hollis] attempted to kidnap anybody and I think the facts showed that today and that they’ll continue to show that if it ever comes up again,” Thornton said.

Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker texted the following statement to The Times Monday afternoon:

“I stand by the arresting officer’s actions in these cases. We believed there was enough evidence for a jury to ultimately decide these cases but the Court disagreed.”