http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... p0501.html

Man rescued after being abducted, held for ransom

Senta Scarborough
The Arizona Republic
May. 1, 2006 12:00 AM

Undercover officers rescued a 23-year-old man who had been abducted at gunpoint, kicked and struck with a weapon and held for four days for ransom, police said.

Jose Garcia Raygoza had crossed the U.S. border illegally into Tucson when he was abducted at gunpoint April 23. Two days later, the kidnappers called his mother in Mesa and threatened to kill him if she didn't pay a $1,600 ransom.

She called Mesa police on Wednesday.

That same day, undercover and patrol officers and several detectives worked together to meet the suspects, arrest them and safely rescue Raygoza.

Raygoza had suffered a minor head injury when he was struck with a weapon and lost a toenail when kicked by suspects while being held captive.

"It worked like clockwork. Everything fell into place when we needed it to," Mesa police Sgt. Chuck Trapani said. "It was great teamwork and it worked perfectly, and no one was injured."

Luis Enrique Perez-Ochoa, 49, and Roberto Gastelum-Encina, 31, were booked into jail on suspicion of kidnapping.

Six years ago, the U.S. Immigration Naturalization Service arrested Perez-Ochoa and deported him to Mexico, police records show.

On April 25, Maria De Rosario Raygoza-Romero of Mesa began receiving calls from the kidnappers they had brought her son into the country from Mexico and threatened to kill him if she didn't pay $1,600 for his release. She spoke to her son, who said he was being held for money.

She continued to receive calls from the kidnappers, who increased the amount to $2,400. Police arranged a meeting with the kidnappers for Raygoza's release. The suspects drove to a parking lot at 75th Avenue and Thomas Road in Phoenix, where they met an undercover officer.

The suspects asked the officer if he had the money and the officer asked if Raygoza was all right, police said.

During the exchange, Mesa undercover officers captured the suspects at gunpoint and rescued Raygoza. Both suspects discussed money and victim exchange with undercover officers, records show.