Three men on Wednesday were charged in a New York kidnapping and ransom plot.
According to a statement from Queens County District Attorney Richard Brown, the three men, Christian Acuna, Dennis Alves, and Eduardo Moncayo, have all been charged with kidnapping and unlawful iprisonment. They each face up to 25 years in prison.
The men allegedly kidnapped an Ecuadorian man named Pedro Portugal off of a Queens street on April 18. At least one of them is alleged to have posed as a police officer before Portugal was shoved into the back of an SUV and beaten as a mask was placed over his head. Portugal was then held in a Long Island City warehouse for over one month. The kidnappers also allegedly contacted Portugal’s mother in Ecuador and demanded a $3 million ransom.
“This is a terrifying story of a businessman allegedly being forcibly abducted off the streets of Queens County in broad daylight and being beaten and held against his will for more than a month while his alleged kidnappers demanded $3 million from relatives in Ecuador for his safe return,” said Brown. “In the process, the victim allegedly suffered physical injuries and has been deeply traumatized by the ordeal. The case warrants vigorous prosecution.”
An NYPD detective found Portugal in the warehouse on May 20. Portugal’s hands were reportedly bound with cloth and duct tape. Another detective was able to chase down Acuna, who fled the scene when police entered.