Ariel Dupuis, age 29

MANCHESTER – Police report they have arrested the second suspect in the alleged abduction, robbery and assault Friday night, in which the alleged victim ended up tied to a tree in Derry.

Ariel Dupuis, 29, of Manchester, was taken into custody just before 10 p.m. Sunday, police said. The other suspect, Ronald Betances, 37, also of Manchester, was arrested Saturday. He faces charges that include counts of kidnapping and robbery, along with one count of violation of bail, which police said stems from a previous crime.

Police said Dupuis is charged with one count each of criminal liability to kidnapping, and criminal liability to robbery.

She was booked on the charges and later released on $2,500 personal recognizance bail pending arraignment, which is scheduled for July 30 in Hillsborough County Superior Court North.

Betances, police said, was held pending appearances in both Superior Court and Manchester district court, which are scheduled to take place today.

Ronald Betances, age 45

The suspects and the alleged victim know each other, police said, adding that the incident “is not a random act” and there is no threat to the public.

The series of incidents Betances and Dupuis are accused of perpetrating began earlier in the day Friday, when the alleged victim contacted Manchester police after managing to free himself from the tree the suspects allegedly tied him to.

Police didn’t give the location where he reported being tied up, other than to say it was in Derry.

He told police he had “been taken from a residence at knifepoint and forced into a vehicle, where his wallet and cell phone were taken,” police said.

The alleged victim said he was then “taken to several locations before being driven to Derry,” police said.

At that point, according to police, the man “was then forced to remove his clothing,” after which the suspects allegedly bound his wrists and feet, assaulted him, and “left him tied to the tree,” police said.

According to archived news reports, an Ariel Dupuis, then 25, of Manchester was reported wanted by police on a charge of possession of heroin in January 2016.

Police were investigating a shooting at the time at the TownePlace Suites on Huse Road.

About 15 months later, on April 30, 2017, a then-26-year-old Ariel Dupuis, whose address at the time was listed as 138 Ray St. in Manchester, was arrested in Merrimack on charges stemming from a motor vehicle stop.

Merrimack police alleged the driver, later identified as Dupuis, “initially gave a false name” to officers who pulled her over.

Upon learning her identity, the officers discovered her drivers license was suspended. They ended up charging her with one count each of operating after suspension, operating without proof of financial responsibility and disobeying an officer.

The status of that case wasn’t immediately known.

Manchester police said the investigation into Friday’s incident is ongoing, and they ask that anyone with any additional information contact the department at 668-8711.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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