28-05-2025
UPDATE: 2 young men charged with filing false report in Ilion kidnapping investigation
*UPDATE: The Ilion Police Department has posted on Facebook that two young adults surrendered to police on May 23, admitting they were joking when they screamed for help and they had to "stop several times because their throats hurt too much from yelling."
The two men are Adrian M. Vandeusen, of Rome and Bryan R. Patrick, of West Winfield, both 19. They were charged on May 23 with third-degree falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor. Both were released on appearance tickets.
The Ilion Police Department has obtained video of a possible kidnapping and is asking the public for help.
In a statement released May 22, the village of Ilion Police Department said on May 21, a motor vehicle was traveling east on Highland Avenue in Ilion in the early morning.
The IPD has since posted the video on its Facebook page.
In the video, a four-door sedan of unknown make and model can be seen turning onto Arlington Avenue, traveling south, and passing by the video camera. Shortly after it exits the frame, screaming could be heard.
Police say they have additional footage and a witness to the vehicle traveling and the screaming.
An approximate timeline has been established:
12:45 a.m. — The vehicle turned from East Main Street onto Orchard Street
12:46 a.m. — The vehicle traveled south up Orchard Street Hill to the stop sign at Spring Street
12:47 a.m. — The vehicle turned onto Spring Street, traveling westbound.
12:47 a.m. — The vehicle turned left onto Arlington Avenue, traveling southbound. The screaming begins after the vehicle passes the security camera.
12:48 a.m. — The vehicle traveled east on Highland Avenue, where the screaming continued.
12:49 a.m. — The vehicle turned right onto Park Street, traveling southbound out of view.
Police said prior to reaching the intersection of Arlington Avenue and Highland Avenue, no screaming or other alarming behavior was observed.
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'We're asking the public to check their cameras for a red colored four-door sedan within the area of the village, at or around the time of the morning of May 21,' Police Chief Laurie DeVaul wrote on social media.
Those with information are asked to call the Ilion Police Department at 315-894-9911.
'Until we're able to verify otherwise, we will continue to investigate this incident as a legitimate kidnapping,' DeVaul wrote.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: 2 young men arrested for falsely reporting Ilion kidnapping
