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WEST VALLEY CITY — Police arrested a man Thursday who they say kidnapped and assaulted another man — all over a $20 dispute.
Julian Romero, 22, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Thursday for investigation of aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, transaction of a firearm by a restricted person, and aggravated assault. A 17-year-old boy was also arrested and booked into the juvenile detention in connection with the same incident, according to West Valley police.
On Thursday, police received a report of a 21-year-old man who was robbed and assaulted by multiple people because he owed one of them a small amount of money and the group had come to collect, police said.
The man told detectives that he had borrowed $20 from Romero and later agreed to meet with him near 3400 South and 3700 West. The man was assaulted in front of a residence and again in the back seat of Romero's car, West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku said.
"The victim was pistol whipped with two firearms," according to a police booking affidavit. "(Romero) and three other males then forced the victim into his residence, and forcefully took $300 cash, a JBL speaker, a stun gun and an iPad. During this incident, the victim stated that he lost consciousness from being beaten."
The vehicle was registered to Romero. Police found the vehicle parked in front of a Taylorsville residence and reported seeing blood in the back seat. When Romero exited the residence, he was taken into custody. Investigators then served a search warrant on the residence and recovered "bloody clothes" and a gun, the affidavit states.
Police say Romero and the teen who was arrested are both documented gang members. Romero was on probation and one of the conditions prohibits him from possessing a gun. A preliminary hearing in a separate case involving a domestic violence-related assault is scheduled for Nov. 22.
