Six men, three juveniles accused of kidnapping NY man arrested

Six men and three juveniles are facing kidnapping and robbery charges after a reported disturbance at an outlet mall in Clinton on Monday night, police said.

Officers responded to a reported noise complaint in the parking lot of Clinton Premium Outlets located at 20 Killingworth Turnpike around 10:35 p.m. on Monday, according to the Clinton Police Department.

The caller reported that a loud group of individuals in the parking lot were creating a disturbance after the outlet mall closed for the evening, police said.

Arriving officers found seven men and three juveniles in the parking lot. According to police, one of the men, later identified as the victim, told police he was kidnapped in New Rochelle, New York, after being threatened with a firearm and brought to Clinton by the other nine individuals at the scene.

The victim was transported to a local hospital for his injuries, according to police.

A police K-9 was requested to assist officers with a search for evidence at the scene, police said. The K-9 reportedly helped officers locate a black facsimile firearm that closely resembled a real firearm in the woods next to where the individuals were standing, police said.

Officers also reportedly recovered a baseball bat, police-issued pepper spray and ski masks, according to police.

Based on an initial investigation, six men, identified as 27-year-old Edgar Palencia Marroquin and 22-year-old Kenneth Munoz of Stamford, and 19-yearold Gerson Isaias Jimenez Mendoza, 19-year-old Justin Vargas, 20-year-old Dario Taveras and 20-year-old Javier Ventura-vasquez, all of Port Chester, New York, were arrested. Each man was charged with first-degree kidnapping with a firearm, illegal use of a facsimile firearm, first-degree unlawful restraint, first-degree robbery, third-degree assault, second-degree threatening, conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping with a firearm, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit illegal use of a facsimile firearm, conspiracy to commit first-degree unlawful restraint, conspiracy to commit third-degree assault, conspiracy to commit second-degree threatening and risk of injury to a child, police said.

Three juveniles from New York were also arrested and charged with first-degree kidnapping with a firearm, illegal use of a facsimile firearm, first-degree unlawful restraint, first-degree robbery, third-degree assault, second-degree threatening, conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping with a firearm, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit illegal use of a facsimile firearm, conspiracy to commit first-degree unlawful restraint, conspiracy to commit third-degree assault and conspiracy to commit second-degree threatening, according to police.

Each of the six men was being held on a $250,000 bond, police said. The three juveniles were remanded to the custody of the Bridgeport Juvenile Detention Center.

“The kidnapping appears to have been a targeted and isolated incident with the victim being known to the offenders,” said Sgt. Spencer of the Clinton Police Department. “There is no ongoing threat to the public.”