Man says torture lasted for hours

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

YOUNGSTOWN — A Girard man told police he was kidnapped and brutally beaten but found himself facing a judge only hours after the incident for his own legal problems.

Gerald Johnson, 29, of Holly Drive appeared Monday before Magistrate Anthony Sertick of Youngstown Municipal Court for arraignment on two noncompliance warrants for failing to pay fines and court costs tied to previous court appearances.

Sertick set his bond at $10,000, but Johnson expressed more concern about pain he was experiencing from an incident that happened before his court appearance.

Johnson told police he was at a party somewhere near Ravenwood Avenue on the South Side late Saturday and gave a female change for a $50 bill “so she could buy some weed.” He said he left the party just after 2 a.m. Sunday and began walking along Idlewood Avenue.

According to reports, a dark-colored Buick pulled into a driveway near Johnson, and two men got out of the car asking where they could buy some drugs. Johnson told police the men blindfolded him, forced him into the car and took him to a home somewhere a short distance away.

Reports say Johnson was bound with extension cords on his hands, legs and neck. Once the extension cords were tied, he was beaten with a chain and another extension cord. Police did observe cuts on various parts of Johnson’s body.

Reports say the three men also pistol-whipped Johnson. The men took a portable heater and burned Johnson’s neck, chin and buttocks, then poured bleach on some of the burned areas before using the heater to burn the man some more.

Johnson said the brutal treatment went on for six to eight hours.

Johnson told officers he could hear the men discussing killing him during the assault. He said one man told the others the brutal treatment was not necessary because they already had stolen all of Johnson’s money.

According to reports, Johnson, after not hearing any sound for a period of time, loosened his binds and ran out of the house. He ran to a relative’s home on the South Side and was taken to Forum Health Northside Medical Center.

The men took Johnson’s wallet with various forms of identification, about $800, and his cell phone.

jgoodwin@vindy.com