Ayvani Perez Update: Second suspect, Tony Graves, arrested in abduction of Ga. teen
(CBS/AP) ATLANTA - Authorities have arrested a second suspect in the abduction of suburban Atlanta teen Ayvani Hope Perez, after the first suspect identified the second man to an investigator, according to court documents.
Tony Maurice Graves, 28, was arrested Friday in the Sept. 17 abduction of 14-year-old Ayvani from her home in Ellenwood, the FBI and Clayton County police said in a statement Wednesday.
Graves, who's also known as Tony Ware, was indicted Wednesday along with another suspect, 29-year-old Wildrego Jackson, who was arrested the day after the kidnapping. Both face federal charges of conspiracy to kidnap, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Authorities say armed men broke into the family's home early in the morning and demanded drugs and jewelry from Ayvani's mother. When she said she didn't have any, police say the men shot the family dog and took Ayvani at gunpoint. About 36 hours later, she was dropped off unharmed at her aunt's home in Conyers.
In-between, an unknown man called the teen's family from a blocked number several times demanding drugs and a $10,000 ransom. Authorities say they were quickly able to identify Jackson using cellphone records.
Jackson was taken into federal custody the following day when he showed up for a previously scheduled appearance in Fulton County Superior Court.
Jackson told an FBI investigator that Graves was one of two men pictured in police sketches released shortly after the abduction, according to a sworn statement by the agent. When he was shown a 2012 police mug shot of Graves, he confirmed that was the person involved in the kidnapping, the statement says.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Graves' criminal record includes dozens of arrests dating back to 2003 on charges ranging from drug and gun possession to aggravated assault, child abandonment and making terrorist threats.
A judge signed an order Tuesday saying Graves would be represented by a public defender. His bond hearing has been set for Friday.
A third man, 40-year-old Juan Alberto Contreras-Rodriguez, was also arrested in connection with the case the day after the kidnapping. He faces immigration-related charges and was in the custody of federal immigration officials. Contreras is the boyfriend of the victim's mother, and he's believed to have been the target of the home invasion.