An 86-year-old US veteran was held hostage for four years, beaten by his captor and kept inside a motel room in Highlands, N.Y., police say.
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And next door to 35-year-old Perry Cogliano, who police say held the U.S. Marine veteran prisoner so Cogliano could cash Mr. McClellan’s Social Security and pension checks and collect his food stamps. Neighbors said Coniglio was brutal.
The veteran was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Coniglio, of nearby Highland Falls, was arrested during a police raid captured on video by WABC-TV in New York City.
Authorities said they were recently tipped off to the situation by neighbors, one of whom provided video showing the older man being physically abused outside his room. Police and neighbors said it went on like this for years and the reason was simple. Police recovered illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia from Coniglio’s room.
McClellan will be provided with a new home by adult services. In many ways, McClellan was the flawless victim.
Because McClellan has an advanced form of dementia, he thought he had only been hostage a few days, not years.
Police say he used brute force and intimidation to get the elderly and diminished veteran to cooperate with him.
Coniglio is being held in the Orange County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.
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Congliano was charged with grand larceny, unlawful imprisonment, criminal possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, menacing and unlawful possession of marijuana.
