Illegal Aliens Indicted on Kidnapping Charges
On Wednesday, a Charlotte, NC man and woman — illegally residing in the U.S. — were charged in federal court with conspiracy to kidnap two children in Mecklenburg County, NC in 2009, according to reports obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
According to the indictment, Ruben Garcia-Rosario, 25, and Linda Gonzalez, 21, aided and abetted one another in the attempted kidnapping through the use of cellular telephones and a motor vehicle. Garcia-Rosario is also charged in three additional counts alleging possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, illegal re-entry into the United States, and use and possession of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
According to the criminal counts, Garcia-Rosario and his wife, Linda Gonzalez, wrote a ransom note that demanded money from the family of two children who, on several occasions, Garcia-Rosario had observed by driving a motor vehicle to an elementary school bus stop in a residential neighborhood in Cornelius, N.C.
The indictment also alleges that the ransom note threatened the killing of the minor victims if the family failed to pay the ransom amount. The conspiracy is alleged to have taken place from about July 2009 until September 29, 2009.
Allegations contained in the indictment reveal that on September 29, law enforcement authorities apprehended Garcia-Rosario in Charlotte and that at that time he possessed multiple ransom notes, a photograph of the minor victims contained in a cell phone, a loaded FIE .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol, Winchester .25 caliber ammunition, duct tape, latex gloves, two Mexican passports and a ski mask.
Garcia-Rosario is currently in federal custody in Mecklenburg County and is scheduled to make an initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Charlotte on November 23. Linda Gonzalez is currently in state custody in Texas and will be brought to North Carolina to face currently pending North Carolina state charges and the federal charges contained in today’s superseding bill of indictment.
If convicted, Ruben Garcia-Rosario faces up to life imprisonment on count three and 20 years in prison on count four. In addition, he faces maximum statutory penalties of 10 years and a $250,000 fine, or both, as to count one; two years and a $250,000 fine, or both, as to count two; and up to life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, or both, as to count five. Linda Gonzalez faces life imprisonment on count three and 20 years of imprisonment as to count four.
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he’s a columnist for The Examiner (examiner.com) and New Media Alliance (thenma.org). In addition, he’s a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.
He’s former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed “Crack City” by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He’s also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He’s a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he’s syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. Kouri appear regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.
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