READING, Pa. – A 16-year-old is being accused in the kidnapping of a Reading man that had been reported missing back in March.
The teenager from Reading is charged with kidnapping, simple assault, and false imprisonment, according to court paperwork.
Authorities also say three other people, who are co-defendants in the case, pistol-whipped, punched, and kicked Michael Petrino before assisting in his kidnapping.
Michael Petrino’s father had last seen him on March 21, authorities said. His family reported him missing March 27, court documents say.
Police he moved to the city from Lebanon County about two months ago. We’re told he got a new apartment and a new job but never showed up for his first day.
According to court paperwork, Petrino was with three other people, including the teenager charged, in a Jeep that pulled into an alley that connects North Second Street to Pear Street early in the morning on March 25.
Seconds after the Jeep parked, another car drove north in the alley, so that the two vehicles’ trunks faced each other, police said in an affidavit of probable cause.
Video in the area showed several people get out of the other vehicle and go towards the Jeep, court paperwork says. Three and a half minutes later, the other vehicle is seen speeding out of the alley, police said.
Authorities say they investigated and interviewed two people who had been in the car with Petrino.
The witnesses told police they and the teenager, who was in the Jeep’s backseat, planned to meet with three people who were in the other vehicle to kidnap Petrino, according to court paperwork.
Once the two vehicles’ trunks faced each other in the alley, the three co-defendants got out of their car and headed towards the Jeep, where Petrino was in the front passenger seat, police said.
One of the co-defendants opened the door where Petrino next to where he was sitting and yelled at him to get out of the Jeep, court documents say.
When Petrino tried to get to the back of the Jeep and grab a gun, the teenager prevented him from getting it, and helped with getting Petrino out of the car, police said in court paperwork.
Authorities said a co-defendant then forcibly removed Petrino from the Jeep and the other two began to pistol whip him.
Petrino ended up on the ground, and the co-defendants began punching and kicking him, court documents say.
According to court paperwork, the co-defendants then forced the victim into the other vehicle and left the area.
The teenager faces a preliminary hearing on June 26.
It is not yet clear at this time whether the co-defendants have yet been arrested.
Petrino is 5’7″ and was last seen wearing a grey Nike hoodie, black sweatpants and black Crocs.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Alert Berks.