PD: Man Kidnapped Woman, Impersonated Cop

By Ronald DeRosa

State police have arrested a man accused of impersonating a police officer and forcefully kidnapping a woman from a location in Somers.

Police said Aerin Reardon, 21, a student at Westfield State University in Westfield, Mass., contacted a 31-year-old woman via a cell phone regarding an ad she placed on Craiglist for exotic dancing at parties.

According to a police news release, the woman and her boyfriend came to Main Street in Somers and there they made contact with Reardon. The suspect claimed he was a police officer and forced the woman into his car, the boyfriend told police. Reardon then left with the woman in a dark-colored car with Massachusetts plates, police said.

Reardon did not show or imply that he had a weapon, police said.

Police said Reardon took the victim to a parking lot in Enfield and threatened taht she would be arrested if she did not cooperate.

Shortly after the kidnapping, the boyfriend had called 911 and police responded. While police interviewed the complainant, Reardon and the victim returned to the Somers residence, police said.

Reardon was then take into custody on charge of first-degree kidnapping, impersonating a police officer and fourth-degree sexual assault. He was held on a $150,000 bond and was due in Rockville Superior Court on Monday.

The victim was taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital for an examination. Police said they seized evidence from the crime scene and interviewed both the victim and the witness.