Police: Man tortured, waterboarded his girlfriend

MERIDEN, Conn. (AP) — Police have charged a Connecticut with torturing and waterboarding his girlfriend in the basement of his home.

Richard Stevenson, of Meriden, is charged with unlawful restraint, assault and related offenses.

Police say Stevenson tied his girlfriend's hands, put a sock in her mouth and poured water over the sock into her mouth after an argument in May. Police say it's a form of torture known as waterboarding.

He let her go but was police say he was captured on surveillance video days later trying to rob a gas station with a 9-month-old baby. He allegedly pointed a knife at the child when the employee refused to give him money. The child wasn't harmed.

Stevenson is being held on $245,000 bond. It could not be determined if he has a lawyer.

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