Superseding Indictment Returned in Federal Kidnapping and Drug Case

WASHINGTON, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Additional charges and
defendants have been added to a federal case arising from the abduction of a
boy from his Las Vegas home in October 2008, Assistant Attorney General Lanny
A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Greg Brower of the
District of Nevada announced today.

Jose Lopez-Buelna, aka "Miguel," 48; Jesus Gastelum, aka "Jose," 35; and Erik
Dushawn Webster, 44; all of Las Vegas, were each charged today in a
superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance,
specifically to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

Lopez-Buelna was also charged with conspiracy to launder money; conspiracy to
commit kidnapping; kidnapping; conspiracy to commit hostage taking; hostage
taking; and two counts of money laundering-promotion.

Gastelum was also charged with conspiracy to launder money; conspiracy to
commit kidnapping; kidnapping; conspiracy to commit hostage taking; hostage
taking; two counts of money laundering-promotion; and money
laundering-monetary transaction.

Webster was also charged with conspiracy to launder money and money
laundering-promotion, and Luis Vega-Rubio, aka "Bear," 36, of Las Vegas, was
charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping; kidnapping; conspiracy to commit
hostage taking; and hostage taking.

The previous indictment in the case, returned on March 17, 2009, charged only
Lopez-Buelna and Vega-Rubio with conspiracy to kidnap a child.

The superseding indictment alleges that Lopez-Buelna and Gastelum provided
money to individuals to purchase motor homes in the United States to transport
cocaine and money between Mexico, the United States and Canada. The
superseding indictment alleges the motor homes were modified after purchase
with hidden lead-lined compartments to conceal cocaine and money from law
enforcement.

According to the superseding indictment, Webster and other unindicted
co-conspirators -- including Clemens Tinnemeyer -- agreed to drive the motor
homes to various locations, including Nevada, California, Georgia, Illinois,
New York, Canada and Mexico. Lopez-Buelna and Gastelum allegedly paid
Tinnemeyer between $17,000 and $25,000 per trip to drive a motor home across
the United States to Mexico and Canada, and allegedly provided Tinnemeyer
additional money for side trips, expenses and motor home repairs.

The superseding indictment alleges that Tinnemeyer made several trips in the
motor home between Mexico and different cities in the United States, and that
in or about June 2008, Tinnemeyer allegedly drove a motor home to Atlanta, New
York and Chicago, when he discovered approximately $4.5 million in a hidden
compartment.

Tinnemeyer allegedly stole the $4.5 million, and Lopez-Buelna and others
started searching for them. According to the superseding indictment, they
hired private investigators, visited relatives and offered Tinnemeyer's
friends and associates money. In July, Vega-Rubio allegedly delivered a
threatening note to Tinnemeyer's daughter in Las Vegas telling Tinnemeyer to
contact them.

According to the superseding indictment, approximately three months later, on
Oct. 15, 2008, Tinnemeyer's young grandson was abducted from Tinnemeyer's
daughter's home in Las Vegas by an unknown number of persons. The boy
allegedly was held hostage by unknown individuals on the orders of
Lopez-Buelna, Gastelum and Vega-Rubio for approximately three days to compel
Tinnemeyer to come out of hiding and to contact them. The boy allegedly was
held at more than one location and was transported between locations in a
suitcase.

The boy was released on Oct. 18, 2009, after law enforcement submitted
photographs of Lopez-Buelna to the media as a person of interest in the
abduction, as well as information that Tinnemeyer had been arrested and that a
substantial amount of cash had been recovered.

If convicted of the drug conspiracy charge, the defendants face a maximum
penalty of life in prison and a $4 million fine. The kidnapping charge
carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. The money laundering charges
carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The superseding indictment also alleges that the defendants shall forfeit all
property derived from the proceeds of the offenses, including more than $3.9
million in cash, numerous vehicles, a boat and two semi-automatic pistols.

All of the defendants, except Jesus Gastelum, who is a fugitive, are in
federal custody pending trial. Arraignments for Lopez-Buelna, Webster and
Vega-Rubio are set for July 10, 2009, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate
Judge Peggy A. Leen.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not
evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a
fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a
reasonable doubt.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration,
the FBI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Internal Revenue
Service -- Criminal Investigation.

The initial complaints and indictment were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys
Kathleen Bliss and Nicholas Dickinson. The superseding indictment and
prosecution are being handled by Trial Attorneys Marty Woelfle and Margaret
Honrath of the Criminal Division's Organized Crime and Racketeering Section.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Justice, +1-202-514-2007, TDD: +1-202-514-1888