PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Federal authorities have arrested and charged four men with kidnapping and beating another man in Camden.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig said the four men approached the victim on a street in Camden, covered his head, beat him, and brought him to a house, where they continued to assault him.
Eventually, according to investigators, they took the victim’s cellphone, sent pictures and videos of his bloody face to family members, and demanded a $100,000 ransom, or else he would be killed.
Authorities say the family members immediately called 911. The FBI and local police were able to track the location of the phone Saturday morning, and the four were arrested.
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They have been identified as Melvin Severino, 25, of Scranton, Pennsylvania; Welber Antonio Jesus, 24, and Yoandry Rodriguez, 21, both of Camden; and Cesar Alexander Batista Alcantara, 23, of Yonkers, New York.
They are scheduled to appear in federal court.
The victim was taken to Cooper University Hospital for treatment.