First defendant sentenced for unlawful restraint of North Huntingdon teen
Oct. 24—A Greene County man was sentenced to three and a half to seven years in a state prison Monday for his role in the kidnapping of a 17-year-old North Huntingdon resident last year.
James K. Maskil, 28, of Graysville, pleaded guilty to unlawful restraint, criminal trespass and a weapons violation. More serious charges including kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy were dismissed.
Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio said after a brief conference with attorneys that evidentiary issues existed in the case.
"They explained to me that the victim is in agreement with this," she said.
Maskil and two others were arrested in connection with the Dec. 10 incident. The investigation began when a teenager ran out of a wooded area and jumped into the back of a West Mifflin police car, according to court papers. The teen was at home the day before on Barnes Lake Road when several men, one of whom the teen recognized as Maskil, broke in and demanded the teenager go to the basement at gunpoint, police said.
The suspects asked where "the package" was and searched the basement. The teen was driven away by the suspects who stopped at an Irwin gas station where authorities obtained surveillance video. Police used license plate readers totrack the car to McKeesport and Duquesne, where the teen told police Maskil demanded $15,000 and the group repeatedly asked about "the package," according to court papers.
Police said the teen escaped sometime the next day while riding in a car being driven by Maskil in West Mifflin.
Cameron D. Bessent, 23, of Warren, Ohio, and Karrar F. Al Hilali, 40, of West Mifflin, are awaiting court action in their cases. They are facing charges of conspiracy, kidnapping and related offenses.
Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .
