Ephrata man charged with robbery, kidnapping

EPHRATA - An Ephrata man was arrested and charged with robbery, kidnapping and assault last week after he allegedly punched a man in the head and burned him with a cigarette.

Perry New, 26, was arrested after an incident on Sept. 13. The victim told police New and two other men accused him of telling police about a mutual friend's drug dealing.

The victim said the men called him a snitch and accused him of telling police the name and details of an area methamphetamine dealer. The victim went to the emergency room at Columbia Basin Hospital in Ephrata after the assault.

He initially told police he did not want to cooperate or have the men who beat him arrested, because he was afraid they would come back and beat him again, according to court documents. He eventually told police the name of two of the men that beat him and the physical description of New, according to the police report.

The victim said he met a stranger at a local tavern and went back to an apartment with the man. When they arrived at the apartment, New and two other men came in, beat and burned him, threatened to kill him for talking to the police and would not let him leave the apartment, according to the police report. The men also stole money from the victim, according to court documents.

Police were able to get New's name and information after talking with another man in the apartment who left after the assault began, according to court documents.