Three New Hampshire men were indicted by a grand jury last week in connection with a vicious attack on an autistic teen, that left him with injuries after they allegedly beat him up and set his hair on fire.
WMUR9 reports that while others allegedly filmed the incident and watched, the suspects, identified as Paul Dustin, Brandon Lemieux and Israel Rivera, all 19, are accused of beating up an an 18-year-old while in a home off of South Main Street in Seabrook last October. The victim, according to police, has “low-level autism.”
“[Rivera] hit me in the face three times, twice on each side and once on the chin. After that I was completely humiliated. Most of the people at the house were spitting on me, physically abusing me, flicking ash in my hair, kicking me and making me admit crimes I did not commit,” the victim, 18, told police.
The incident occurred after the victim went to a friend’s house to pick up some of his things. When he arrived, the suspects were there, along with three other teens, ages 15, 16, and 17. The victim said he was asked to stay and “smoke a few blunts.” After two of the suspects returned from the store with “blunt wrappers,” they reportedly started punching the victim.
“I was very hesitant to stay. I stayed though because I was being an extreme idiot,” the teen victim told police.
The victim also told authorities that the suspects stole his iPhone and told him if he tried to leave the home, he would be leaving in a body bag. The suspects allegedly kept the victim in a room in the home for around two hours.
A detective who reportedly viewed the video stated that the victim was “defenseless” as the men attacked him.
“Izzy [Rivera] can be seen punching him in the face with a closed fist while several other people are filming and laughing,” the detective said, per court documents. “It shows the victim pleading with him to stop and is defenseless.”
According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, the suspects posted the video on Snapchat after the attack. Rivera is accused of punching and kicking the teen while the others punched him and set his hair on fire. Rivera also smashed out a windshield and tried to force the victim to take the blame, according to court documents.
While Lemieux and Dustin face one count of criminal restraint each, River is facing charges of criminal mischief, criminal restraint, and tampering with witnesses and informants. All three are out on bail while awaiting trial. They’re scheduled for arraignment on April 4 at the Rockingham County Superior.
Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Paul Dustin, Brandon Lemiuex and Israel Rivera/Seabrook Police]
