StoneTheCrow
01-07-2009, 07:11 PM
ENGLISH WOODS – A man called a late night phone chat line on Sunday, Jan. 4 and was invited to come have sex with two young women at their home. When he showed up, he was beaten, robbed, and threatened with charges of statutory rape by their father.
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And it’s probably not the first time this scheme was pulled, said Capt. Kim Frey, Cincinnati police.
James Merida, 40, and his two daughters, Amie Campbell, 28, and Ashley Merida, 20, of 1986 Knob Court, have been arrested on robbery charges.
“I think these people found a new way to victimize others,” Frey said. “They find people who are an easy mark and found a way to intimidate and scare these men into thinking they could be involved with a more serious crime.”
After the victim came to meet the girls at about 10 p.m., Merida rushed into the house by kicking in his own door. He accused the man of fooling around with his daughters. Merida lied by saying the girls were underage, then beat the victim and took more than $200 from him, according to police.
After interviewing neighbors, police feel this is not the first time the trio has done this, although they are not sure how many other victims there are.
It’s the claim that the girls are underage that might stop victims from coming forward, Frey said.
“It’s an embarrassing type of crime,” she said. “The men didn’t think they were going there to have sex with a juvenile … so now the guys are thinking, ‘I’m in trouble.’ Most guys probably took their lumps and went away quietly,” she said.
The victim, a 55-year-old man from Warren County, declined to comment to a reporter.
This is not the first case like this. Police are investigating five or six other complaints about people involved in similar situations.
Police are encouraging anyone who has been hurt by these people, or anyone like them, to come forward.
“They need come make a report,” Frey said. “They’ve been duped. They’ve been set up, lured to the place with the intent to be robbed.”
Merida and his daughters are being held on $50,000 bail each. Their court date has not been set.
Advertisement
Quantcast
And it’s probably not the first time this scheme was pulled, said Capt. Kim Frey, Cincinnati police.
James Merida, 40, and his two daughters, Amie Campbell, 28, and Ashley Merida, 20, of 1986 Knob Court, have been arrested on robbery charges.
“I think these people found a new way to victimize others,” Frey said. “They find people who are an easy mark and found a way to intimidate and scare these men into thinking they could be involved with a more serious crime.”
After the victim came to meet the girls at about 10 p.m., Merida rushed into the house by kicking in his own door. He accused the man of fooling around with his daughters. Merida lied by saying the girls were underage, then beat the victim and took more than $200 from him, according to police.
After interviewing neighbors, police feel this is not the first time the trio has done this, although they are not sure how many other victims there are.
It’s the claim that the girls are underage that might stop victims from coming forward, Frey said.
“It’s an embarrassing type of crime,” she said. “The men didn’t think they were going there to have sex with a juvenile … so now the guys are thinking, ‘I’m in trouble.’ Most guys probably took their lumps and went away quietly,” she said.
The victim, a 55-year-old man from Warren County, declined to comment to a reporter.
This is not the first case like this. Police are investigating five or six other complaints about people involved in similar situations.
Police are encouraging anyone who has been hurt by these people, or anyone like them, to come forward.
“They need come make a report,” Frey said. “They’ve been duped. They’ve been set up, lured to the place with the intent to be robbed.”
Merida and his daughters are being held on $50,000 bail each. Their court date has not been set.