Posted on 04/09/2008 5:34:15 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
EDINBURG - A debt owed to a man in Mexico prompted an attempted kidnapping of a constable's son, authorities said Tuesday.
Andres Rios Jr., the 18-year-old son of Precinct 4 Constable Andy Rios, managed to escape his abductor and later told investigators the man was trying to collect money his father owed, according to Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño.
But the constable, who was involved in a tightly contested re-election runoff Tuesday, insisted the story was not true.
"I have no idea what he was talking about," he said. "He was just scared."
Investigators believe Rios Jr. was taken at gunpoint from an auto repair shop located near the intersection of Monte Cristo and Mon Mack roads just before 2:30 p.m. Monday. He escaped moments later.
Not long after, sheriff's deputies arrested Jesus Martinez, 17, of Edinburg, at a convenience store blocks away, where they found the weapon used in the crime stashed behind a bathroom sink.
Two juveniles were also detained but let go after authorities determined they had not played a role in the plot.
Since his arrest, Martinez has not discussed a possible motive for the abduction, deputies said. And investigators have not been able to independently corroborate Rios Jr.'s story about the debt.
But his father said on Tuesday he had not talked about a possible motive for the crime with his son.
"He's just terrified," the constable said. "But I'm just happy he's OK."
Monday's incident is not the first time the Rios family has been linked to alleged criminal activity.
Constable Rios remains under indictment on three 2007 theft charges, stemming from allegations he stole property his office seized from delinquent taxpayers.
The criminal counts became one of the main issues in the constable's bid for re-election. He lost Tuesday's runoff contest to challenger J.E. "Eddie" Guerra by more than 26 percentage points, based on 122 of 140 precincts reporting.
And the younger Rios was arrested in October for allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal immigrants past a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Kingsville, according to a statement released by the sheriff's office.
Border Patrol officials could not confirm the arrest, but said if the teen was a minor at the time he was detained it is likely his case was never prosecuted.
"What are you going to do with a minor in federal prison?" said local Border Patrol spokesman Dan Doty, referring to limited federal options for detaining juveniles. "A lot of times, they don't prosecute."
During a court hearing Tuesday, Justice of the Peace Bobby Contreras officially charged Martinez with aggravated kidnapping, a charge punishable by up to 20 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Investigators believe he is a member of the violent Texas Chicano Brotherhood prison gang, a group Treviño described Tuesday as an increasingly organized criminal organization in Rio Grande Valley.
He remains in the Hidalgo County jail on a $250,000 bond. ____
Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.
Family values.
Valle Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
“Your father owes me money,” sounds like pure extortion”I want ransom.”
Looks like the usual So.TX LEO on a drug cartel’s payroll. Papa must have double-crossed them and his son almost paid for it. What a cesspool our border and Valley towns are!
Lots more kidnappings going on down here lately!
His son, the alleged coyote!
Similarly, an horrific murder occurred (made into a TV documentary). Seems a married latino couple bought a condo, then later complained to the builder that a neighbor was paying less per month-——they said the builder cheated them.
The builder explained the neighbor’s bank loan resulted in lower payments than their loan. This did not appease the dumbheads who were bent on revenge.
They subsequently abducted the builder’s partner-—his son. In a horrific murder scene, the savages (they had also enlisted a cousin) wrapped the builder’s son’s head in duct tape——while he was still alive——as he pleaded for his life.
He was later found dead. Luckily, the three killers were found and jailed....one had absconded to Mexico. Ironically, the builder and his son were also latino.
Unfortunately, there's nothing ironic about it. The first and greatest victims of any criminal mentality are always their own race... often their own families.
I think this goes for all races too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.