Two men who authorities say posed as police to commit armed kidnappings in Northwest Washington were being held in the D.C. jail until Friday.
Rodorrio Kittrell, 33, turned himself in to police Tuesday, a day after police captured his alleged accomplice Caliss Johnson, 41, in Southeast Washington. Johnson was charged with two counts of armed kidnapping and additional charges are pending, D.C. police said. Kittrell was charged with one count.
A judge ordered both men to be held Wednesday until a more formal hearing Friday morning, according to attorney Isaac Kunnirickal, who was representing Johnson.
The three kidnappings took place over three days last week and all involved a red Ford SUV, police said. The female victims in each case also report being fondled in a sexually explicit manner, according to a police statement. The investigation into the third kidnapping remains ongoing.
Authorities said Johnson was involved in the first abduction in Georgetown on the 3000 block of M Street shortly after midnight Thursday. Johnson pulled up as a woman parked her car, police said. He told her she was driving a stolen vehicle, then handcuffed her and, at gunpoint, drove her to an ATM in Maryland to get money. He then released her.
Police said that about 9 p.m. Friday, Johnson and Kittrell allegedly forced a couple out of a car in the motel parking lot in the 1300 block of Fourth Street NW. Johnson and Kittrell allegedly took them to their motel room, then left with the woman, according to the police report. They took her money and released her, police said.
Early Sunday, two suspects pulled over another couple stopped ata light at 13th and K Street Northwest. The suspects handcuffed the man and put a hood over his head and drove to an ATM machine to withdraw money, then released the couple.
Anyone with information on these crimes can call 202-727-9099. Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction.
