The St. Louis founder of a string of tanning salons and massage parlors pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to federal kidnapping and weapons charges.Todd Beckman, 52, of Fenton stood next to attorney Travis Noble, Jr. during a brief appearance in front of Magistrate Judge Patricia Cohen.
Beckman and four co-defendants are accused of kidnapping a Maplewood man and holding him hostage for three days. The men allegedly pistol-whipped the man, shocked him repeatedly with a Taser and threatened to murder him, according to an indictment unsealed last week.…