Since before Thanksgiving, authorities have been searching for a Houston-based YouTuber who has fled the country to “start a new life” in Dubai. The crimes he’s wanted for could give him a new life behind bars if he’s caught and convicted.
Corey Pritchett Jr., known as CoreySSG on YouTube, was issued an arrest warrant in connection to an incident that happened between Nov. 22 and 24. Authorities say the 25-year-old allegedly met with two younger women, ages 19 and 20, at the All-En Sports Performance Gym in Houston. The group were reported to have been working out and then headed to go bowling near Memorial City Mall.
Charging documents say the women told police Pritchett displayed a “complete change of behavior” and said “he believed someone was after him,” per ABC 13 News. The women said he then sped down I-10, holding them at gunpoint and took their phones. Pritchett then called a woman on his phone, asking for permission to “go ahead and do it.” He then allegedly told them no one would be able to find them or hear them scream, per police.
“I’m going to f—- y’all and then kill y’all,” he allegedly threatened.
Court documents say he eventually stopped on the side of the road and ordered them to exit the vehicle. The women walked for an hour before another driver stopped and helped them call the police. Once authorities learned of the incident, they launched their search for Pritchett. However, the YouTuber had already fled the country.
In fact, he told his social media audience in a video on TikTok and Instagram saying he was leaving the U.S. to begin a new life in Dubai. The Houston Police Department found he flew into Doha Airport near Qatar on Dec. 9 with a one-way ticket.
Before the whole ordeal, Pritchett was a popular content creator, having accumulated over 3.97 million YouTube subscribers and averaging 10 million views on his vlogs of him and his wife. However, now, he’s been charged with two counts of aggravated kidnapping.
It’s unclear whether he has an attorney or whether he’s returned to the U.S. to handle the case. He did post that he was flying back home to “meet with the FBI to see what the fuss is about.”