Gambling debts led three people to fake a kidnapping Friday in order to get ransom money from one of their mothers, Bridgeview police said.
Joseph Vicario, 25, of Bridgeview, plotted with his girlfriend, Amanda Woods, 21, of Oak Lawn, to trick Vicario’s 44-year-old mother into believing that kidnappers were beating her son, police said. A second man, Shane Ablan, 26, of Chicago Ridge, also conspired with them to extort $4,000 from the Bridgeview woman.
All three are charged with felony misconduct, police said. Vicario and Ablan were each ordered held in lieu of $100,000 bond in a hearing Saturday. Bond information on Woods wasn’t available late Saturday.
On Friday, Vicario’s mother told police she received a call from Woods saying that she and Vicario’s son were being held against their will by unknown assailants, according to Bridgeview police.
Woods also said the kidnappers were demanding $3,000, Vicario’s mother told police. Her son later sent numerous text messages saying the demand had increased to $4,000.
According to police, Vicario’s mother said she could hear noises on the phone like something being hit while her son yelled, “Don’t hit me” in the background as Woods pleaded her for the money. She then agreed to pay the ransom and begged them not her hurt either of them in a text message.
Vicario’s mother then immediately called police, who were able to track the cellphone moving through Oak Lawn and Chicago Ridge, police said. Oak Lawn police stopped Woods, Vicario and Ablan near 95th and Melvina while they were riding in Woods’ 2013 white Mazda.
They confessed to making up the kidnapping after they were taken to the Bridgeview Police Department, according to police.
Vicario came up with the scheme pay off of his gambling debt, and the other two agreed to help, police said. Ablan struck his hand near the cellphone and Vicario screamed in the background in an effort to pressure the mother, according to police.
Nick Swedberg is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.