LOCKPORT — A Niagara Falls couple were indicted by a Niagara County grand jury Thursday for their roles in what law enforcement sources have described as a “vicious and violent” attack on a Town of Niagara man.
The grand jury charged Gregory Perry, 31, with single counts of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree robbery, aggravated criminal contempt and endangering the welfare of a child for an incident on March 26 involving the 77-year-old man. Perry was also charged by the grand jury with a count of second-degree criminal contempt related to the same victim for an incident that occurred on July 29.
Niagara County prosecutors also unsealed a charge of fourth-degree tampering with second-degree criminal contempt against Perry for an incident that occurred on April 10.
The grand jury also charged Ashley McMillen, 35, with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree robbery and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the March 26 incident,
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges during an arraignment before Niagara County Court Judge John Ottaviano. He remanded Perry to the Niagara County jail, without bail, and set bail of $100,000 for McMillen.
The pair were taken into custody late on the afternoon of March 26, after Town of Niagara police and Niagara County Sheriff’s Office investigators forced their way into a Cayuga Village trailer and discovered the 77-year-old victim bound and beaten in his bathroom. Sources who have reviewed law enforcement body camera video of the discovery of the victim characterized the footage as “disturbing.”
Town of Niagara Police Chief Craig Guillani said the victim’s son reported him missing he said he went to the victim’s home, a trailer in the Cayuga Village Park, where he encountered Perry.
Perry had been described to law enforcement as a “stepson” of the victim or a “caregiver.” Law enforcement sources said they later learned that Perry had no family ties to the victim and that a court-issued order of protection barred him from contact with the man.
After locating the victim’s car, parked and locked, a block from the victim’s home,” Guillani said he reached out to sheriff’s office investigators for assistance.
While declining to go into detail about what additional evidence was discovered by the investigators, Guillani said the law enforcement agents became concerned for the victim’s safety and “forced entry” back into the victim’s trailer.
Once inside the trailer, town police and the sheriff’s investigators searched the residence and discovered the victim, suffering from serious injuries and “restrained” in the bathroom.
“It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Guillani said.
The victim was taken to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo for treatment of his injuries. Sources said the injuries were considered life-threatening, but the victim is now recovering.