Thread: More of Bush's Family Values

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/10236802/detail.html
Undercover Officer Exposes Union County Kidnapping Plot

POSTED: 4:18 pm EST November 3, 2006
UPDATED: 6:18 pm EST November 3, 2006



CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Two men are accused of plotting a kidnapping that was supposed to be carried out on Friday.

The men, both illegal immigrants, seemed to have made one key mistake, according to a lengthy federal court document.

Thanks to that mistake, Robert Gomez's wife is safe and by his side today. She was too scared to talk to Eyewitness News after just learning that two people very close to her are behind bars comma accused of planning to kidnap her.

According to an affidavit obtained by Eyewitness News, the plot was unraveled by an undercover Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer.

The officer says two men hired him to kidnap the woman and hold her for ransom.

One man called himself "Sponge" and the other went by the name "Estaban Romero."

The men were really Robert Gomez's brother and nephew, Tomas and Rundolfo Gomez. Tomas Gomez worked for the roofing company Robert Gomez and his wife own.

According to court documents, Tomas Gomez's motivation for the crime was "revenge for cheating them out of payroll hours."

"We never did anything; he was working, we were paying him," Robert Gomez said.

Officers told Gomez and his wife about the plot earlier this week. He said they were shocked.

The affidavit states the men even considered killing Gomez's wife if the ransom wasn't paid. Gomez said he's glad his brother's alleged betrayal didn't come to that.

The suspects' immigration status could affect their prosecution andsentencing.

Mecklenburg County has recently become more focused on identifying illegal immigrants at the jail. Ten sheriff's deputies and two sergeants have been trained by immigration and customs enforcement to identify, question and deport illegal immigrants.

Not all illegal immigrants will be deported. Authorities say that's decided on a case-by-case basis.

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

Theodore Parker


Let's hope so, Theo...