Police: Stolen ATV led to kidnapping

A Jamesport mother, her son and another man have been arraigned on robbery and unlawful imprisonment charges after they abducted a man and held him in exchange for a stolen all-terrain vehicle, Southold police said.

Police in a Tuesday release said the three suspects -- Elizabeth Bucalo-Lingerfelt, 51; her son, Conor Lingerfelt, 17, also of Jamesport; and Philip Trentacoste, 17, of Aquebogue -- and a third man abducted an 18-year-old Mattituck man from the Empire Gas Station on Route 25 in Laurel at about 1 p.m. on Sept. 1.

Det. Sgt. John Sinning said the four believed the victim had stolen an ATV from them. But Sinning said there is no evidence the victim was involved in the theft of the ATV.

Sinning said police were notified of the incident by a citizen who overheard some youths talking on a cellphone about a person being abducted.

The abduction suspects "took the victim's cellphone and started calling anybody they could get a hold of," Sinning said. "And then they told them, 'We're holding him until we get the ATV back.' "

Sinning said the victim only knew a couple of the suspects by first name and that it took police some time to identify and locate them. He said more arrests are pending.

Bucalo-Lingerfelt, Lingerfelt, Trentacoste and another man forced the victim into a white Dodge Neon, police said. He was then taken to a location in Laurel, then to a Jamesport residence, where he was assaulted by a fourth male, police said.

Sinning said the victim's beating resulted in two black eyes, a bruised face and other bruises.

After being beaten, the victim was driven to a location near Pier Avenue in Riverhead where he was released.

Police said friends of the victim found him and took him to a home in Cutchogue, where the friends called the Cutchogue Fire Department for an ambulance.

"Once his friends called for the ambulance, police were able to identify him," Sinning said.

Bucalo-Lingerfelt is charged with robbery and unlawful imprisonment; Lingerfelt and Trentacoste are each charged with robbery, unlawful imprisonment and assault.

Trentacoste was arrested Sept. 17 and arraigned on the charges in Southold Town Justice Court on Sept. 17.

Bucalo-Lingerfelt and her son were arrested Monday and arraigned Tuesday.

All three were released on bail, police said.

A phone call to Bucalo-Lingerfelt's court-appointed attorney was not immediately returned.