The 22-year-old victim told police he was abducted after one of the suspects, Christian S. Reyes, 24, of Lyndhurst, found out the victim had conspired to burglarize his apartment.
LYNDHURST - Three people have been charged in the kidnapping of a Mahwah man who was beaten, burned with a cigarette and had his body hair shaved off, according to police.
The 22-year-old victim told police he was abducted after one of the suspects, Christian S. Reyes, 24, of Lyndhurst, found out the victim had conspired to burglarize his apartment.
"The victim explained that when Reyes found out about the plan, he duct-taped his hands and feet together and used electrical cord to tie him to a chair," Lyndhurst police Capt. John Valente said in a statement.
"It was at that time that the victim had his head and eyebrows shaved with a razor and his hair cut off with a knife," Valente said.
The victim was ordered into Reyes' vehicle at gunpoint and told to text his friend to come to Lyndhurst to pick him up. The friend had been involved in the alleged plot to burglarize Reyes' apartment, police said.
"The intent was to assault him as well," Valente said.
The friend, a 23-year-old man from North Caldwell, arrived a short time later but fled when he spotted Reyes' vehicle, police said.
Reyes, along with two other suspects, followed the friend to Route 23 in Wayne, where the friend called Wayne police to report an aggressive driver chasing him, police said.
Police arrived to find the two vehicles on the side of Route 23. Inside one vehicle, they found the 22-year-old from Mahwah who had several injuries, including abrasions above his eyes and a swollen jaw.
The victim also had a "noticeable injury to the surface of his tongue, which was consistent with his claim that one of the suspects had burned his tongue with a lit cigarette," Valente said.
According to police, Quessy Acevedo, 21, of Avenel and Jasely Alvarez, 21, of East Rutherford were present and participate in the attack.
"Acevedo was said to have struck the victim about the face while Reyes at one point pulled out a gun and held it to the victim's neck," Valente said in the statement.
"Alvarez burned the victim's tongue and threatened to kill him with a knife but instead used it to cut off his hair. (The suspects) then took a razor and shaved his head, eyebrows and body," Valente said.
The victim was taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson, where he hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
All three suspects were taken to the Bergen County Jail.
Reyes, Acevedo and Alvarez are charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault and criminal restraint. Reyes and Acevedo are also charged with making terroristic threats. Reyes and Alvarez also face weapons charges.
Reyes is being held on $500,000 bail, no 10 percent option. Acevedo and Alvarez are being held on $400,000 bail, no 10 percent option.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
