Mexico goalkeeper arrested for suspected kidnapping

Mexico goalkeeper arrested for suspected kidnapping

Former international soccer goalkeeper Omar Ortiz was arrested on suspicion of working for a gang of kidnappers.

The 35-year-old Ortiz admitted helping to pick out two rich victims for the kidnappers.

The gang, who said they belonged to a drug interest group, sought an average of 1 million pesos ($73,000) per victim, of which Ortiz received a cut of more than 100,000 pesos.

Sporting his trademark goatee facial hair, Ortiz looked pokerfaced as masked soldiers showed him off and three other suspects in Nuevo Leon state capital Monterrey, a city that has increasingly come under attack by organized crime.

The gang operated by selecting victims at social gatherings, who were then snatched and ransomed. Ortiz's gang is suspected of over 20 kidnappings, among them the 2011 abduction of the husband of Mexican pop star Gloria Trevi. Kidnapping is punishable by a jail term of up to 50 years, the state government noted.

Attorney general Adrian de la Garza said the suspected kidnappers were captured on January 5 and noted that the gang's leader, who is still on the loose, told them they were working for the Gulf Cartel.

The soccer star only helped choose victims and provide information to the gang, whose suspected leader is still fugitive along with several others.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Tuesday January 10 2012, 4:39 AM EDT. Ref: Google. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0