SPRINGDALE, AR– Last week, a man told police someone broke into his apartment, robbed him and forced him to tie up his stepdaughter.
Investigators now say he made it up.
On June 21, Fernando Monter-Verde, 31, reported a robbery on Greens Drive in the Links Apartments.
Monter-Verde reported a man had forced his way into the home and appeared to have a gun.
He said the robber had zip ties and ordered Monter-Verde to put them on his 14-year-old daughter.
But police say the investigation revealed a different story.
Officers got surveillance video from a nearby home improvement store.
On the video, they saw Monter-Verde go into the store the night before the robbery to buy zip ties.
During interviews, police say Monter-Verde admitted he was having marriage problems and paid an associate to stage the robbery.
Fernando said that this associate entered the home, demanded they disrobe and took cash.
Fernando disrobed, but the 14-year-old refused.
Fernando said the teen girl did not know the robbery was staged.
The associate was later identified as Joseph Samuel, 24, of Springdale.
Samuel told investigators Fernando had paid him to stage the robbery.
Investigators say Samuel further admitted that the plan was to undress both of them, and then order them to perform sex acts.
However, when she refused to disrobe, Samuel allegedly took the money and fled.
Fernando faces charges of conspiracy to commit rape, false imprisonment, 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and filing a false police report.
Samuel was charged with conspiracy to commit rape, false imprisonment, and 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
Investigators now say he made it up.
On June 21, Fernando Monter-Verde, 31, reported a robbery on Greens Drive in the Links Apartments.
Monter-Verde reported a man had forced his way into the home and appeared to have a gun.
He said the robber had zip ties and ordered Monter-Verde to put them on his 14-year-old daughter.
But police say the investigation revealed a different story.
Officers got surveillance video from a nearby home improvement store.
On the video, they saw Monter-Verde go into the store the night before the robbery to buy zip ties.
During interviews, police say Monter-Verde admitted he was having marriage problems and paid an associate to stage the robbery.
Fernando said that this associate entered the home, demanded they disrobe and took cash.
Fernando disrobed, but the 14-year-old refused.
Fernando said the teen girl did not know the robbery was staged.
The associate was later identified as Joseph Samuel, 24, of Springdale.
Samuel told investigators Fernando had paid him to stage the robbery.
Investigators say Samuel further admitted that the plan was to undress both of them, and then order them to perform sex acts.
However, when she refused to disrobe, Samuel allegedly took the money and fled.
Fernando faces charges of conspiracy to commit rape, false imprisonment, 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and filing a false police report.
Samuel was charged with conspiracy to commit rape, false imprisonment, and 2 counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.