'Coercion Tactics' Used to Lure Amish Girls, Police Say - East Idaho News
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‘Coercion Tactics’ Used to Lure Amish Girls, Police Say

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cuffs?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1408199196892iStock/Thinkstock(OSWEGATCHIE, N.Y.) — Investigators are looking for more information about the two people who have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping two Amish girls in Northern New York.

Stephen Howells, 39, and his girlfriend Nicole Vaise, 25, allegedly kidnapped the girls from their family farm on Wednesday while they were selling vegetables.

The girls were apparently released 30 miles away from their home.

On Saturday, Saint Lawrence County Sheriff Kevin Wells said investigators are looking for “anything and everything about the backgrounds of the two individuals, where they’ve been over the years, what else have they done, who else have they been involved in there lives with, and we’ll go from there.”

Investigators believe “coercion tactics” were used to lure the children into the car and the sheriff said the motive of the kidnapping “was to victimize children.”

Wells also said the girls played a big role in bringing the two suspects to justice.

“We need to give credit to the girls here. Things that they saw. Things they remember, were very influential in getting us to this point so quickly,” Wells said.

The alleged kidnappers are being held without bond. They have not yet entered any plea. If convicted, they could face 25 years to life.


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