Men charged in Mardi Gras kidnapping

GALVESTON — Four men were in custody Tuesday night charged in connection with the kidnapping of a woman, who reported she was abducted from downtown Galveston and sexually assaulted amid the final weekend of Mardi Gras, authorities said.

Friendswood and Galveston police officers arrested two men, Daniel Rogers and Gregory Hill, both 19, shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday in the 700 block of Dixie Farm Road in Houston, Friendswood police said.

Officers from both agencies also arrested two others in the case. Darel Johnson, 18, was arrested at 1:30 p.m. at his residence in the Sagemont subdivision near Blackhawk and Astoria, Friendswood police said.

And Aaron Lededric Brown, 20, was charged after his early Monday afternoon arrest in the 5000 block of Watkins Way in Friendswood, police and jail records reveal.

All four men had warrants for their arrest on charges of aggravated kidnapping, Galveston police said. Bonds for Johnson and Brown were set at $175,000, Galveston police said Tuesday night.

Police launched an investigation on the report of a kidnapping with intent to commit sexual assault after a woman, 23, reported early Sunday evening that she was abducted from the 2300 block of The Strand, police records reveal.

The woman apparently was last seen at 1 a.m. Sunday and was found about six hours later. A Galveston police report listed the name of the woman, but The Daily News has a policy against naming victims of sexual assaults.

“The victim, though severely traumatized by the events, bravely provided valuable facts about the incident while meeting with investigators,” Sgt. M.D. Pilsner said.

The woman was taken from The Strand after being approached by two black men, who indicated that the police were coming to clear out the crowd and that she needed to leave the area, Pilsner said.

“She began to walk out of the area, and the black males walked along each side of her,” Pilsner said. “She began to feel uncomfortable and told them she was going to sit down, hoping they would leave her alone.”

When the woman stood up, she was forced into a four-door car, Pilsner said.

“The victim was alleged to have been sexually assaulted both inside the vehicle as well as an apartment located in Friends-wood,” Pilsner said.

Police gathered facts to support the woman’s allegations, and officers obtained warrants for the arrest of four men in the case, Pilsner said.
No further arrests were anticipated, Pilsner said.