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Struthers man duct-taped, beaten in Campbell
More arrest warrants are expected.
CAMPBELL — Mark A. Ziemianski, one of seven men accused of forcing their way into a home at 342 Blossom Ave. early Tuesday and severely beating a man, was to be arraigned at 9 a.m. today in municipal court on charges of kidnapping, felonious assault and aggravated burglary.
Ziemianski, 25, of South Navarre Avenue, Austintown, was arrested about 9 p.m. Wednesday on a municipal court warrant by members of the Mahoning County Violent Crimes Task Force and placed in the city jail, said Campbell Police Detective Sgt. David Taybus.
He said more arrest warrants for suspects picked out of a photo line-up, as was Ziemianski, are expected to be issued.
Seth M. Leach, 32, of Ayrshire Drive, Struthers, was in satisfactory condition Thursday in St. Elizabeth Health Center. He arrived at the hospital several hours after he was attacked with his jaw broken in two places, cuts on his face and around his eyes, and bruises to his back and body, Taybus said.
Police said the attack began just after midnight Monday when Ziemianski knocked on the door of the Blossom Avenue home. When the female occupant opened the door, he forced his way in and was followed in by four other men.
Three of the five beat Leach and then wrapped duct tape around his legs and hands.
Then, two more men came into the home — the woman’s ex-husband and her former father-in-law — and hit and kicked Leach while he was still tied.
When they left, the father-in-law told the other suspects to “finish it and dump him in the lake,” according to the police report.
Taybus said it appears Leach was attacked because the ex-husband and father-in-law did not want him around the woman or her children. It was not clear from reports whether the children were in the home at the time of the invasion.
After the ex-husband and father-in-law left, three of the five suspects that remained said “he has had enough.” The three cut Leach loose and remained in the home until about 2:30 a.m., at which time they took the victim to his father’s home in Austintown. From there he was taken to the hospital.
The woman told police she did not call authorities for several hours because she was told if she did she would “die and never make it to court.”
Taybus said he is at a loss to explain the involvement of all the people in the attack.
At least two of them have permits to carry concealed weapons, which means they have not been in trouble with the law before. The suspects range in age from 24 to 61, Taybus added. He said no one except the ex-husband and father-in-law “had a beef” with Leach.
“Maybe they were paid, or maybe they have watched too many ‘Sopranos’ episodes,” Taybus said, referring to the TV crime drama.
alcorn@vindy.com