By Steve Mosco
A man held captive in a Long Island City warehouse for more than a month was freed after his mother tipped off investigators to the kidnappers’ ransom demands, authorities said.
Three men have been charged with abducting Pedro Portugal, an Ecuadorian man from Woodside, and holding him for more than a month while demanding $3 million in exchange for his release, according to the Queens district attorney.
District Attorney Richard Brown, joined by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, identified the suspects as Christian Acuna, 35, of Corona; Dennis Alves, 32, of East Elmhurst; and Eduardo Moncayo, 38, of Lyndhurst, N.J.
Brown said, according to the charges, Portugal, 52, was approached by Moncayo and an unidentified individual April 18 on Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights. The district attorney said Moncayo allegedly flashed what appeared to be an NYPD badge before forcing Portugal into an SUV.
A review of video surveillance footage allegedly shows a sports utility vehicle pull up outside the location, after which an individual grabbed another individual and forced him into the rear door of the SUV.
The suspects then allegedly took turns watching Portugal — and torturing him — for the next month, the DA said.
“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.”
After the abduction, Brown said Portugal was allegedly driven to a warehouse on 43rd Avenue in Long Island City where his arms and legs were bound to a chair. The captors then allegedly beat him and demanded Portugal call his mother to request $3 million in ransom.
Portugal was held captive from April 18 until May 20, during which time Brown said the assailants allegedly burned his hand with acid, threatened to cut off his fingers and beat him severely.
Portugal endured this torture until a member of the NYPD’s major case squad entered the building and found him bound to the chair. Another detective apprehended Acuna on Skillman Avenue.
Brown said Alves allegedly admitted to police that, “I didn’t treat him bad, I told him it was just business.”
