3 Valley residents accused in kidnapping
By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
A North Charleroi man is behind bars for his involvement in a violent kidnapping earlier this year when a man was taken from a Pricedale home and tortured inside of a Charleroi residence for hours.
William Gallaway, 33, of Conrad Avenue is charged with kidnap to inflict terror, conspiracy — kidnap to inflict terror, aggravated assault, conspiracy — aggravated assault, illegal possession of a firearm, unlawful restraint, conspiracy — unlawful restraint, simple assault, conspiracy — simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
Charges were filed Tuesday at the office of Magisterial District Judge Eric Porter.
Charleroi Regional Police Detective Dave Kimball began investigating the kidnapping after receiving an anonymous tip March 13. The caller told police a man had allegedly been taken from a residence in Pricedale and taken to a different residence in Charleroi where he was allegedly tortured for hours.
Kimball later interviewed the alleged victim, who told him he was at a home in Pricedale when Samuel Miller, Ellen Dawkins and Gallaway asked him to help move furniture into a home in Charleroi, an affidavit of probable cause states.
The victim told police he knew something was wrong immediately after walking into the home as Miller, Dawkins and Gallaway allegedly started to beat him.
The suspects pistol whipped, kicked and punched the victim repeatedly, an affidavit states.
According to the victim, all three suspects had hand guns and forced him to remove his shoe laces, which they used to tie his hands together.
While he was tied up, the suspects used a hand-held butane lighter to burn his eye.
Kimball said the victim’s right eye was visibly red, swollen and had skin missing. He also had numerous scrapes, bruises, cuts, bumps on his face, forehead and nose, police said.
The victim told police the incident started because one of the suspects believed he burglarized one of their homes while they were previously incarcerated, an affidavit of probable cause states.
Police were later able to identify Gallaway, who has a known alias as “Bill.”
According to online court records, Gallaway is currently on parole and has two past convictions that prohibit him from owning a gun.
Gallaway was arrested by Charleroi Regional Police Tuesday and placed in the Washington County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 cash bond.
He faces a preliminary hearing 10 a.m. Sept. 10 before Porter in Charleroi.
Porter issued warrants for Miller, 36, and Dawkins, 31, who are each charged with kidnap to inflict terror, conspiracy — kidnap to inflict terror, aggravated assault, conspiracy — aggravated assault, unlawful restraint, conspiracy — unlawful restraint, simple assault, conspiracy — simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Miller is additionally charged with illegal possession of a firearm.
Both Miller and Dawkins remained at large as of presstime.
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