SANTA FE MAN KIDNAPPED AND HELD FOR RANSOM
Santa Fe Police Officers and FBI Agents arrested Fernando Mendoza, 34, and Ever Chavez, 19, early this morning in Santa Fe, in connection with the kidnapping of Pedro Carrillo Perez, and subsequent ransom demands made on his family. Immediately following the arrests agents and officers executed federal search warrants at Mendoza’s residence, 4201 Airport Road, #43, Santa Fe; and an associated business, 2045 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe. Both Mendoza and Chavez are believed to have resident alien status in the U.S.
Perez, also a resident alien, was visiting his family’s ranch in Chihuahua, Mexico in late May when he was abducted and held against his will. Within hours of Perez’s abduction, the kidnappers demanded Perez’s family pay nearly a half a million dollars to secure his safe release. Over the next several days the kidnappers repeatedly contacted Perez’s family, finally negotiating a ransom of just over $161,000.00. Perez’s family paid the ransom and the victim was released in Mexico.
Because the Perez family contacted the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office (SFCSO) immediately upon learning of the kidnapping, the SFCSO contacted the FBI and agents were able to obtain the requisite court orders to obtain telephone records that quickly lead them to identify Mendoza and Chavez. Following the victim’s release investigators spent the next three weeks continuing to gather evidence in the case. Authorities anticipate Mendoza and Chavez will face federal kidnapping and extortion charges.
FBI Albuquerque, 4200 Luecking Park Ave., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87107
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Federal Bureau of Investigation