http://www.azfamily.com/images/links/110208_kidnappings.pdf

Sharp Rise in Immigration-Related Kidnappings Prompts New Task Force

Number of Cases Has Increased At Least 324% since 2004

Facing a dramatic increase in kidnappings and other Latin American-style violence related to the illegal immigration crisis, County Andrew Thomas has created a new task force within the County Attorneys Office to combat this dangerous trend. So far this year, Valley police have submitted 204 cases in which a victim or victims were kidnapped and held for ransom. If the rate continues, there will be 275 such cases by the end of the year setting a record for Maricopa County.

Submittals of Kidnap for Ransom/Hostage (Highest Ranking Charge)

*Current through 9/2008

2004 – 48 kidnapings

2005 – 63 kidnapings

2006 – 62 kidnapings

2007 – 164 kidnapings

2008 – 375 kidnapings

As the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association has noted, this trend in violent crime has its roots in the illegal immigration crisis. For those cases in which kidnapping for ransom is the highest charge, 74% of

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the defendants sentenced in 2007 in Maricopa County were found to be in the United States illegally. The sentencing range is typically between 7 and 15 years in prison. Violent kidnappings and worse have increasingly plagued law enforcement in Mexico and the nations border cities. On October 23, at least 10 people were killed in a gunfight in Nogales. Nogales and other Mexican border cities have become battlegrounds for Mexican drug cartels fighting to control smuggling routes into Arizona and other parts of the United States. To prevent this violence from spreading further into Maricopa County, the County Attorneys Office has reached out to Valley police by assigning specific prosecutors to handle these cases. Attorneys in the Special Crimes Bureau, which already handles the offices human-smuggling cases, have been tasked with cracking down on kidnappers. Three attorneys from that bureau have been designated to work with law enforcement much in the same way the offices Repeat Offender Bureau works with specially trained detectives.

Thomas stated, These kidnappings threaten the safety of neighborhoods all over the Valley. We have to stop this trend before the violence escalates. This problem is yet another unfortunate byproduct of the illegal immigration crisis, which jeopardizes the lives of not only U.S. citizens but also immigrants, legal and illegal.

Thomas was joined by Mark Spencer, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association. Spencer has called Phoenix the kidnapping capital of America because of the spike in violence associated with illegal immigration.

Here are some recent cases prosecuted this year by the County Attorneys Office:

On January 26, 2008 an 18-year-old Phoenix girl was kidnapped at gunpoint from her home. The kidnappers bound her hands and feet and held her against her will for four days. As the parents tried to negotiate the teens release, a second victim was kidnapped and after his family gave the kidnappers four vehicles he was released. He then led the police to the house where the Phoenix girl was held. Phoenix Police tracked down and arrested the suspects.

Jesus Cervantes Beltran (DOB 2/7/71)

Pled guilty to Kidnapping and sentenced to 18 years in the Department of Corrections

Patricia Ledezma (DOB 9/30/82)

Pled guilty to Kidnapping and sentenced to 10.5 years in the Department of Corrections

Jose Luis Ledezma (DOB 8/24/87)

Pled guilty to kidnapping and sentenced to 8 years in the Department of Corrections

Ivan Rodriguez (DOB 2/16/87)

Pled guilty to Kidnapping and sentenced to 12 years in the Department of Corrections

Nibardo Gutierrez Inzunza (DOB9/4/72)

Pled Guilty to Kidnapping and is awaiting sentencing

On October 15, 2007 the defendants kidnapped a man from his car at gunpoint. They then called the victims wife and said the victims head would be left on her front porch if she didnt pay the ransom. Phoenix Police rescued the victim and arrested the suspects.

Eulalio Plascencia-Moreno (DOB 7/1/75)

Convicted of Kidnapping, Theft by Extortion, Misconduct Involving Weapons and sentenced to 13 years in the Department of corrections

Noe-Mendoza-Tapia (DOB 9/9/85)

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Convicted of Kidnapping, Theft by Extortion, Misconduct Involving Weapons sentencing is pending

Jhonnatan Ochoa-Suarez (DOB 12/5/84)

Convicted of Kidnapping, Theft by Extortion and sentenced to 12 years in the Department of Corrections On January 19, 2008 a Phoenix man was robbed and then kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded $70,000 ransom. Two days later Police rescued the victim and arrested the suspects.

Fidel Zavala Zavala (DOB 8/21/88)

Pled guilty to Kidnapping and sentenced to 5 years in the Department of Corrections

Israel Morales (DOB 6/8/90)

Pled guilty to Kidnapping and sentenced to 10.5 yea

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