I don't know but there's a lot more here than meets the eye.

"The victim?s ordeal began Thursday after he left work at 4:30 p.m. and went with a woman to an Elizabeth motel." So, could we imply from this great piece of investigative journalism that the victim was also a "John" or did this woman force him to the motel where she rendevoued with the thugs in the parking lot to hash out their brilliant plan.

3 accused of kidnapping after robbery scheme falls apart at Jersey City mall given high bails by judge

Published: Tuesday, August 09, 2011, 3:00 AM
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

Three Elizabeth men made their first court appearance in Jersey City yesterday on charges they kidnapped a man at gunpoint in Elizabeth and forced him to buy items at the Newport Centre Mall.

Jesus David Ojeda, 21; Christian Ferreira, 21, and Jose David Escobar, 25, face up to 20 years in prison on the kidnapping charge alone, officials said.

JESUS OJEDA, top left, Christian Ferreira, top right, and Jose Escobar, below, appear in Central Judicial Processing court yesterday via video link from the Hudson County jail.

The men were arrested Friday and appeared in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City yesterday afternoon via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

The victim?s ordeal began Thursday after he left work at 4:30 p.m. and went with a woman to an Elizabeth motel, reports said. Twice the woman left the room and argued with the suspects in the parking lot, reports said, adding that later the men forced their way into the room and kidnapped the victim.

The men forced the victim to withdraw $600 from an ATM machine and then drove to another hotel in Elizabeth, where they held him overnight, reports said.

Early Friday morning they drove the victim to Newport Centre Mall and waited for the stores to open, telling him repeatedly they would kill him and his family if he didn?t comply, reports said.

The victim cooperated and purchased socks, sneakers, baseball caps and other merchandise for his captors, but then about 11 a.m. he broke free and ran into the Kay Jewelers store, where a manager sounded an alarm, reports said.

Cops rushed to the scene and based on the victim?s description of the suspects and vehicle they were driving, police were able to apprehend the suspects in the mall?s parking garage, reports said.

The three men are also charged with robbery and weapons offenses, according to the criminal complaint.

Later yesterday, Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale set bail at $100,000 for Ferreira and Escobar, while Ojeda?s bail was set at $150,000. The bails are cash or bond.