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Nine people, including three minors, face charges after they were apprehended at a Connecticut outlet mall following a kidnapping that occurred in New York, according to police.
The arrests resulted from an incident in Middlesex County on Monday night, March 4, when police responded to the Clinton Outlets at 20 Killingworth Turnpike (Route 81) for a noise complaint and found a group of people in the mall's parking lot, according to a Clinton Police arrest report.
One of the men told officers that he had been kidnapped in Westchester while in New Rochelle, and threatened with a firearm before being brought to Clinton because the group "believed he knew people that had stolen coke [cocaine] from them," according to the report.
The man also told officers that he had been brought to Clinton because the "boss" was from the area, the report said.
A police K9 eventually found a fake gun that looked authentic in nearby woods and authorities also discovered police-issued pepper spray. Additionally, police also discovered bags containing white powder that was later confirmed to be cocaine and fentanyl, according to authorities.
Following this, six men and three minors, mainly from Westchester and Fairfield County, were arrested. Police identified the suspects as:
- Gerson Isaias Jimenez Mendoza of Port Chester, age 19;
- Keneth Ramirez Munoz of Stamford, age 22;
- Edgar Palencia Marroquin of Stamford, age 27;
- Dario Miguel Iantigua Taveras of Port Chester, age 20;
- Javier Ventura-Vasquez of Port Chester, age 20;
- Justim Vargas of Port Chester, age 19;
- A 16-year-old Hispanic boy;
- A 15-year-old Hispanic boy;
- A 17-year-old Hispanic boy.
Some of the charges faced by all nine suspects include:
- First-degree kidnapping with a firearm;
- Illegal use of a facsimile firearm;
- Unlawful restraint;
- Robbery;
- Assault;
- Threatening.
The adult suspects were held on $250,000 bonds while the minors were taken to the Bridgeport Juvenile Detention Center. The victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries to his face and leg, police said.
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