News

July 2, 2009

Two men charged in kidnapping, robbery

By Ed Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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HAZLETON - Two men were charged by police Thursday morning in the kidnapping of a man they made to strip off his clothes at gunpoint.

Francis Fuentes, 18, of North Laurel Street, and Luis Alexis Diaz, 22, of North Wyoming Street, both in Hazleton, were charged with kidnapping, unlawful restraint, robbery, simple assault, terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, theft, receiving stolen property and several criminal conspiracy counts.

They were jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $25,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint:

Rashan Hunt told police Wednesday night that he met Fuentes and Diaz to buy marijuana on South Pine Street. They drove around in a vehicle in the Hazleton/Butler Township area when Fuentes and Diaz received a phone call.

Hunt believed the caller told Fuentes and Diaz that family members were robbed at gunpoint by an acquaintance of Hunt's, the criminal complaint says.

After the phone call, according to the criminal complaint, Diaz produced a handgun and pressed it against Hunt's head and forced Hunt to take off his clothes. Hunt said he couldn't escape because child safety locks were engaged on the vehicle's rear doors.

Hunt claimed Fuentes and Diaz threatened to kill him, and were calling people in efforts to get an assault rifle, the criminal complaint says.

Hunt was left out of the vehicle near Church and 8th streets.

Preliminary hearings are tentatively scheduled on July 8 in Central Court.

 

For more on the story, read The Times Leader on Friday.

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