By Neale Gulley<br><a href="mailto:gulleyn@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Neale</a>
A man and his girlfriend were arrested Monday for allegedly luring men to their North Tonawanda home for sex using a telephone dating service, them robbing them.
North Tonawanda Police Capt. William Hall said at least three men responded to a posing on Quest line, in which Melissa J. Moeller, 24, is said to have lured the men to her 113 Center Ave., lower, apartment before her boyfriend Gerald J. Guercio, 29, would jump them.
“She was luring the guys over for either a lingerie dance or sex, and after they show up he would show up and kick them out of the house and in the process the money would turn up missing,” Hall said.
The two were arrested based on the most recent incident Dec. 13, in which Hall said a 36-year-old Ransomville man was threatened with a knife by Guerico, then robbed. The first incident police are aware of happened Dec. 10.
Moeller is charged with first-degree robbery and Guerico with first-degree robbery, criminal possession of a weapon and menacing.
Hall said both suspects are unemployed.
All three men said to have visited the home are from the Western New York area.
Hall said the investigation is continuing and police hope other men who may have been involved will come forward with additional details.
Both suspects have been interviewed by detectives and Hall said information was uncovered leading investigators to believe that the two were working together to rob the victims. However, on one previous occasion Hall said the Guerico had reported one of the men as an unwanted guest.
“There was an incident where the suspect flagged down a police car and said there was a person who would not leave,” Hall said.
Police did not confirm or deny the incident could have been designed to establish an alibi. Though Hall said the couple has a child together, and that three other children reside at the address, none were home when the alleged incidents occurred.
Moeller is being held in lieu of $3,000 bail while her boyfriend Guerico is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.
