Hudson Valley Man Held Elderly Navy Vet Hostage For Years, Police Say
A Hudson Valley man is accused of holding an 81-year-old Navy veteran hostage for four years, starving and beating him, and stealing his money for drugs.
According to NBC, 43-year-old Perry Coniglio of Highland Falls held former U.S. Navy veteran David McClellan captive so he could steal his pension checks for drugs. Conigilio allegedly cleared out McClellan’s bank account.
According to Town of Highlands Police, Coniglio, a motel handyman, held the Navy Veteran captive at the U.S. Academy Motel in Orange County near West Point.
Conigilo was arrested Wednesday on charges including unlawful imprisonment, endangerment of an incompetent person, grand larceny and criminal possession of a weapon.
Police said over the past few years they received a number of complaints that Coniglio was verbally abusing the 81-year-old man. Coniglio was acting as the Navy veteran’s caretaker, officials say.
On Tuesday, police raided the motel after they received video that showed Coniglio physically abusing McClellan.
McClellan was taken to the hospital and is in the care of adult protective services.