Lyndhurst Man Arrested and Charged with Kidnapping in NYC
By Travis Tormey posted in Assault and Threat Crimes on Friday, May 24, 2013
A Lyndhurst man is one of three (3) Ecuadorian nationals charged with kidnapping a 52-year-old accountant off a Queens street and torturing him for a month.
According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Eduardo Moncayo, Christian Acuna, and Dennis Alves were all charged with first degree kidnapping, second degree kidnapping, and first degree unlawful imprisonment.
Authorities stated that on April 18, Mr. Moncayo impersonated a New York City police officer and approached the victim. Mr. Moncayo and another man then grabbed the victim and forced him into a vehicle. Another man inside the vehicle held a knife to the victim’s stomach and threatened to stab him if he moved.
The assailants took the victim to a Long Island City warehouse, where they kept him in captivity for a month. During this time, the men beat and tortured the victim, punching his teeth out and burning his hand with acid. They also demanded that he call his mother in Ecuador and ask her to send a $3 million ransom.
On Monday, a detective found the victim in the warehouse. Mr. Moncayo, Mr. Acuna, and Mr. Alves were apprehended, but police believe that at least three (3) accomplices have fled to Ecuador.
Because the kidnapping occurred in New York, the charges could carry a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for each of the defendants. In New Jersey, kidnapping is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:13-1. Since the victim was harmed during the kidnapping, if the crime had been committed in New Jersey, the defendants would be charged with first degree kidnapping, potentially leading to a period of incarceration of 30 years in state prison. The punishment would be particularly harsh because New Jersey prosecutors frequently invoke the No Early Release Act (NERA) on kidnapping charges, requiring a convicted defendant to serve no less than 85% of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Mr. Moncayo, Mr. Acuna, and Mr. Alves were arraigned and are currently being held without bail at the Queens Detention Facility.
For more information, see the NorthJersey.com article entitled “Lyndhurst Man, Two Others Charged in NYC Kidnapping, Ransom Attempt.”
If you are in need of a Criminal Defense Attorney in Lyndhurst NJ, we can help.
