Kidnapping, "Mexico Style"

Back in November I commented about the large numbers of American citizens being kidnapped in just one area of Mexico that borders the United States. At that time, there were at least 20 unresolved cases in the last two years involving kidnapped U.S. citizens.

Thanks to our "Open Border" policy, we no longer have to go through the hassle of crossing the border to be kidnapped "Mexico Style".

From the Houston Chronicle:

By Dale Lezon and Mike Glenn

Kidnapping ring similar to scams south of border

Houston police announced Wednesday the discovery of a kidnapping and robbery operation in which unsuspecting people were snatched and held hostage until their relatives paid ransoms of a few thousand dollars.

While the actions of the ring mirror random kidnappings that have plagued Mexico and other Latin American nations for years, police said they have no evidence to suggest the Houston ring is connected to organized-crime groups in other countries. But experts familiar with so called "express kidnappings" taking place just south of the border said the Texas operation appears similar...

...Police said Elionay Pena, 47, Ricardo Patino, 24 and Jose Alberto Martinez, 19, are charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery. They are being held in the Harris County Jail with no bail set.

Pena, Patino and Martinez are probably part of a larger local group primarily targeting Spanish-speaking victims who may be wary about reporting what happened, police said.

The men were arrested July 6 after one of their victims escaped, police said. The man, unidentified by police, had been waiting at a bus stop on South Gessner near the Katy Freeway service road on July 3 when four men — including the three who were later arrested — approached and forced him inside a waiting pickup, police said.

He told police that another hostage — who had been grabbed earlier — was in the truck.

The abductors drove them to a house in the 8000 block of John Street, where at least three other people were being held for ransom, police said. The victims were tied up and locked inside a room at the house.

The captors demanded the victims give them contact information for their relatives, who were then ordered to pay about $2,000 each to secure the victims' safe release. They threatened to kill them if police were called.

The victims of this particular group are illegals, chosen because they are less likely to call the police. It won't be long before the goblins figure out they can get more money by kidnapping citizens.

Oh, I forgot, some of them have already figured this out:

From ABC-13 News (KTRK)

Four charged in kidnapping that led to shootout at Wal-Mart

Four men charged in a May kidnapping that ended with a shootout at a Wal-Mart that left another suspected kidnapper dead pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges.

Salomon Bocanegra, Juan Jose Ornelas-Castro, Heberto Bocanegra and Damarius Ornelas-Castro each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, using interstate communication facilities to demand ransom and a count of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during or in relation to a crime of violence, according to a news release issued Tuesday by U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper.

Each faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when they are sentenced Oct. 10.

I guess the are "Just kidnapping the folks that American citizens will not kidnap".

And to think that some folks have the audacity to insist that free citizens should not be allowed the means to protect themselves.