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KEARNS — A man who said he was taken from his house at gunpoint was later returned, and investigators were eventually able to track down his two alleged kidnappers.
The series of events began about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday when two men forced their way into a house near 5200 South and 5300 West, went to a downstairs room and ordered a 26-year-old man to go with them at gunpoint, said Unified police detective Ken Hansen.
The men reportedly wanted to use the victim to find someone else they were looking for, he said.
Another person called police after the man was taken. While officers were at the victim's house, the kidnappers returned, Hansen said.
But after spotting the officers, the men drove off again, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. While police were pursuing the vehicle, it pulled over and the alleged kidnapping victim was let out before the car drove off again.
Based on a tip, the Metro Gang Unit and West Valley police caught up with one of the suspected kidnappers a couple of hours later near 5600 West and 4100 South. Cody J. Carrillo, 24, was arrested and booked into jail for investigation of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary.
Carrillo denied being in the man's house but told investigators "he knew of issues going on," the report states.
The other man, 28-year-old Domingo Copyak, was arrested by Unified police early Thursday evening.
Carrillo was charged in July in 3rd District Court with two counts of drug distribution, a second-degree felony, possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Monday when he failed to show up for a mandatory court hearing, according to court records.
Carrillo was also charged in August with failing to stop at the command of a law enforcer and possession of drug paraphernalia. In 2010, he was convicted of theft by deception. He was placed on probation but recently had a warrant issued for his arrest for violating the conditions of that probation, court records state.
Copyak's lengthy criminal history includes convictions for felony drug possession and theft, as well as failing to stop or respond at the command of police, joyriding and attempted burglary of a vehicle. He was charged in December 2014 with theft, drug possession and possession of a firearm by a restricted person, all felonies, plus a misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia. That case is ongoing.
In another active case, Copyak was charged in January with felony drug possession, misdemeanor theft by receiving stolen property, and another drug paraphernalia charge.
