Case 2:14-cr-00346-AM Document 1 Filed 03/20/14 Page 1 of 3

1t4
A091 (Rev. Il/It) Criminal Complaint

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CLERK, U.S\TRICT COURT

for the
Western District of Texas BYTy
WESTERN DT!CT OF TEXAS
CLER

United States of America )

v. )
Alejo Emanuel Saucedo Ortiz ) Case No. t) t(-t Lt
)

Defendant(s)

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
I, the complainant in this case, state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
On or about the date(s) of November06, 2013 in the county of Maverick in the
Western District of Texas , the defendant(s) violated:
Code Section Offense Description
18 usc 1201 Kidnapping-knowingly, intentionally, unlawfully combined, conspired,
18 USC 1202(a) confederated and agreed with others known and unknown to unlawfully and
18 usc 1202(b) willfully seize, confine, kidnap, abduct, and carry away and hold for ransom
Jose Ramon Gonzalez, a USC.
Ransom Money (a)(b)-knowingly, intentionally, unlawfully received,
possesed, and disposed of any money, or other property, or any portion
thereof, which has been delivered as ransom or reward in connection with
violation of the kidnapping statute in foreign commerce.

This criminal complaint is based on these facts:

See Attachment.

EJ Continued on the attached sheet.

Complainant 's signature

iarre--'H--. b 05C, f/ef(e

Printed name and title

to befor;me and signed in my presence.

:::
City and state LL (o
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Printed name a,a7tie
 Case 2:14-cr-00346-AM Document 1 Filed 03/20/14 Page 2 of 3

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Attachment A

On November 05, 2013, Jose Ramon Gonzalez, a United States of America Citizen, was
kidnapped in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. Gonzalez was beaten, abused, and held against his will
in Piedras Negras by his captors. Gonzalez' release from captivity was contingent upon Gonzalez and
another party signing over ownership of a property located in Piedras Negras. This property was in the
name of Gonzalez and another party (co-owner). Gonzalez telephonically contacted the co-owner of the
property and informed the co-owner that Gonzalez would allegedly be released from captivity if the co-
owner and Gonzalez signed over ownership of the property. Gonzalez asked the co-owner to sign over
ownership of the property so that Gonzalez could be released from captivity. The co-owner was known
to be in the United States at the time the telephone calls were made to the co-owner. The co-owner
also had a USA based cellular telephone that the calls were placed to.

Gonzalez told the co-owner to meet with Alejo Emanuel Saucedo Ortiz, a Notary of Public that is
based in Piedras Negras that has the ability to process and file paperwork transferring ownership of
properties in Piedras Negras. The co-owner was told to meet with Saucedo at a McDonalds restaurant
located in Eagle Pass, Texas on November 06, 2013 in order to sign over ownership of the property that
is located in Piedras Negras so that Gonzalez would be released from captivity. The transfer of the
property located in Piedras Negras was to serve as the ransom for the release of Gonzalez.

On November 06, 2013, at approximately 10:27 AM, Saucedo crossed into the United States
from Mexico. The co-owner of the Piedras Negras property met with Saucedo at the McDonalds
restaurant located at 2130 E. Main Street in Eagle Pass, Texas at approximately 11:37 AM on November
06, 2013. The co-owner knew Saucedo from previous dealings with Saucedo. The co-owner informed
Saucedo that they were being forced to sign over ownership of the property. The co-owner told
Saucedo that they were not signing over ownership of the property under their own free will. The co-
owner told Saucedo that their whole family's life was in dangerif they did not sign over ownership.
Saucedo acknowledged this statement concerning the situation.

The co-owner observed that Gonzalez' signature was not on the paperwork at that time and told
Saucedo that Gonzalez was tied up. The co-owner asked Saucedo if it was possible thatGonzalez signed
the paperwork and then they would kill him. Saucedo responded that he knew they wanted him to give
them the property and they would have to take Gonzalez to Saucedo to sign the paperwork because
Saucedo would not make up the signature. Saucedo informed the co-owner that they had never
threatened Saucedo.

Saucedo explained that the paperwork the co-owner was to sign had been backdated because
there were new anti-money laundering laws in Mexico that had taken effect since the backdated time.
Saucedo acknowledged that the owner/co-owner would not get any money for the transfer of
ownership of the property even though the paperwork that the co-owner was signing was written as a
sales contract. The sales amount on the paperwork had been left blank and was going to be filled in
later by Saucedo. Saucedo estimated the property was worth at least three million pesos. After the co-
 Case 2:14-cr-00346-AM Document 1 Filed 03/20/14 Page 3 of 3

owner of the property signed the paperwork transferring ownership of the property, Saucedo left
McDonalds and drove directly to the Eagle Pass Port of Entry where Saucedo crossed into Mexico.

Agents received pictures of Gonzalez that showed he sustained injuries during the kidnapping.
The property that was transferred as the ransom payment for Gonzalez' release was featured in the
Zocalo periodical on January 24, 2014. This article was about a ribbon cutting ceremony for the
ransomed property that had been signed over in order to gain Gonzalez' release. The Zocalo article
documented the new owners of the property as being Alexandra Valdes Castellanos and Kate Valdes
Castellanos. This property was renamed Quinta Alkava.

Alejo Emanuel Saucedo Ortiz did knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully combine, conspire,
confederate and agree with others known and unknown to unlawfully and willfully seize, confine,
kidnap, abduct, carry away and hold for ransom Jose Ramon Gonzalez when he traveled in foreign
commerce on November 06, 2013 from Mexico to the United States and then back to Mexico
transporting a document that transferred ownership of property from Jose Ramon Gonzalez and the co-
owner to others in commission of the kidnapping offense 18 USC 1201.

Alejo Emanuel Saucedo Ortiz did knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully receive, possess, and
dispose of money/property which had been delivered as ransom or reward for a kidnapping of Jose
Ramon Gonzalez. On November 06, 2013, Alejo Manuel Saucedo Ortiz transported, transmitted, and
transferred in foreign commerce the proceeds of the kidnapping of Jose Ramon Gonzalez knowing the
proceeds were unlawfully obtained in violation of 18 USC 1202.