Thursday, June 17, 2004
BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- Pennsylvania State Police have two of three men accused in a bizarre kidnapping and rape in custody.
A third man, Richard Buccelli, 51, of Ellwood City is still being sought.
Police said Buccelli knocked on a hotel room at the Conley Inn on Pa. Route 18 in Beaver County on June 9, identifying himself as the hotel manager. A 26-year-old woman opened the door and Buccelli and Melvin Johnson, 47, of Ellwood City barged in and began assaulting the victim. The men told another man who was in the room with the woman not to get involved, police said.
Police said Thomas Steven Houk, 49, of Ellwood City drove all to the West Wind Village trailer park in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, and dropped off the victim, Buccelli and Johnson.
The woman was physically and sexually assaulted over the next 48 hours in the trailer park and in room 7 of the Wampum Hotel in New Beaver Township, Lawrence County, police said. She was kept doped up on crack cocaine to keep her submissive, they added.
When Buccelli fell asleep, the woman escaped and went to Beaver Falls police. A warrant was issued for Buccelli's arrest. He is charged with burglary, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, terroristic threats, simple assault, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault.
Houk and Johnson are in police custody; each faces charges of burglary, kidnapping, unlawful restraint and false imprisonment.