Accused kidnapper abducts the same man — who escapes a second time, New York police say
A man was taken to a hospital after he called 911 from his Apple watch to report he escaped a kidnapping in western New York, authorities said.
One of his accused kidnappers, Frank Scarpa, had abducted him two years earlier, New York State Police said in a Nov. 30 news release.
Scarpa, 61, and a second accused kidnapper, Michelle M. McCloskey, 40, were arrested Nov. 26 on multiple charges, including second-degree kidnapping, second-degree menacing and first-degree criminal use of a firearm, according to state police.
Information regarding legal representation for Scarpa and McCloskey, who both live in Angelica, wasn’t immediately available. Angelica is about a 75-mile drive southeast from Buffalo.
The kidnapping
At 1:06 a.m. on Nov. 26, New York State Police responded to the 36-year-old man’s emergency call from his Apple Watch as he was running away from Scarpa and McCloskey, police said.
About an hour earlier, around midnight, McCloskey had picked up the man from his house, according to police.
While riding in her SUV, the man was suddenly attacked by Scarpa who “appeared from the back of the SUV,” police said.
The man was driven to an unspecified location in Angelica, where Scarpa started beating him with a pistol, according to police. McCloskey, meanwhile, was armed with a sawed-off shotgun, police said.
As Scarpa and McCloskey were taking the man out of the SUV, he fled, according to authorities, who said the pair were planning to bring him to a nearby building.
He called police while heading to a “secluded marsh area,” authorities said.
The man was found by troopers and taken to Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville to be medically evaluated, according to police.
Scarpa has a pending court case in connection with previously kidnapping the man in Hinsdale, about a 25-mile drive southwest from Angelica, state police said.
In May 2022, Scarpa was accused of visiting the man’s home and assaulting him, according to state police, WKBW reported.
He kidnapped him, tied him to a chair and beat him further before the man escaped to a convenience store, according to the outlet.
He fled Scarpa when Scarpa left him alone, WKBW reported.
In that case, Scarpa was arrested on charges of second-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, second-degree menacing and fourth-degree criminal mischief, according to the Olean Times Herald.
Scarpa and McCloskey are also charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; tampering with evidence; second-degree intimidating a witness in connection with the Nov. 26 kidnapping, according to police.
Authorities said Scarpa is additionally second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon charges.
Possible motives were not disclosed by police.
This story was originally published December 2, 2024 at 10:04 AM with the headline "Accused kidnapper abducts the same man — who escapes a second time, New York police say."
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