North Charleroi man jailed in kidnapping, torture case
CHARLEROI – A North Charleroi man was arrested Tuesday on charges that he, along with two others, kidnapped and tortured a Belle Vernon man in March.
William Gallaway, 33, of 604 Conrad Ave., was accused of confining Shane Marinos for hours at 114 Maple Ave., Charleroi, where he was tied up, pistol whipped and severely burned near his right eye with a cigarette lighter, court records show.
Two others who were charged in the case, Ellen Patrice Dawkins, 31, of Pittsburgh, and Samuel Howard Elijah Miller, 36, of Charleroi, remained at large Wednesday, online court records indicate.
Marinos told police he was lured away by the three suspects about 9 p.m. March 13 from a residence in Rostraver Township’s Pricedale section.
He said the suspects asked for his help moving furniture, that he knew immediately “something was wrong” when he arrived at the Charleroi location, police stated in the affidavit.
The three suspects all brandished handguns and ordered him to remove his shoelaces, which were used to tie his hands together, charging documents allege. Marinos said he was beaten for hours by his captors.
He said Dawkins had accused him of burglarizing her residence while she was in Washington County jail on charges filed by Charleroi Regional police. She was arrested and jailed in early March in an assault case that was later dismissed, court records show.
Police declined to say how Marinos escaped from the kidnapping. He suffered many cuts, bumps and bruises to the right side of his face, police said in court documents.
Gallaway was charged Tuesday with kidnapping, conspiracy, aggravated assault, illegal possession of a firearm as a convict, unlawful restraint and simple assault.
He was in Washington County jail on a parole violation and $50,000 bond set by District Judge Ethan Ward. District Judge Eric Glenn Porter signed warrants Tuesday for the arrests of the other two suspects.