Alberto Espinoza, 41, who was allegedly hauled from his Deming home at gunpoint and driven to a local church on Monday, was arrested Wednesday by the Luna County Sheriff's Office of multiple charges of sexually molesting a child, the Deming Headlight reported.

Espinoza was booked on 14 counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and four charges of criminal sexual penetration of a minor, the Headlight reported.

Earlier this week, deputies arrested Hernan Flores, 34, and Norma Garcia, 38, in connection with the alleged abduction of Espinoza and driving him to La Luz del Mundo Church in Deming, the paper reported.

Investigators now say Flores was told by church pastor, the Rev. Jose P. Martinez, of possible criminal sexual activity against five girls, ages 8 to 13, from three families that allegedly occurred in 2004, the Headlight said.

Flores is accused of firing his weapon into the ceiling of Espinoza's house, forcing him into a car driven by Garcia and driving Espinoza to La Luz del Mundo Church, where investigators say Flores surrendered the weapon to the pastor and some of the alleged victims confronted Espinoza, the paper reported.

Flores then allegedly took Espinoza from the church and put him in the trunk of the car when Deming police arrived on scene, investigators said.

The sheriff's office said Flores told authorities he was about to drive Espinoza to the police station when he and Garcia were taken into custody, the Headlight reported.

Both Flores and Garcia are being held on charges of kidnapping with firearm enhancement and conspiracy to kidnap, and Flores is additionally charged with aggravated assault with firearm enhancement and negligent use of a firearm, according to the Headlight.

6:20am 3/25/08 -- Luna Co. Couple Accused of Kidnapping: Pair allegedly abducted 41-year-old man last week over an old incident.

Hernan Flores, 34, and Norma Garcia, 38, are being held at the Luna County Detention Center in connection with the alleged abduction last Friday of a 41-year-old Deming man, the Deming Headlight reported.

Flores is charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, negligent use of a firearm and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, while Garcia is facing charges of kidnapping and conspiracy, the Headlight reported.

The two allegedly entered the man's home, where Flores fired a shot into the ceiling, then took the man to a local church, then forced him into the trunk of a 1991 Ford Taurus that Garcia was driving, police told the Headlight.

Luna County Sheriff Raymond Cobos said the case involved an allegation of something that occurred four or five years ago, but the Headlight didn't report what that involved.

Your Name:

Your Email Address:

Rate this article:
Poor Great

Comment:

BOLD

"QUOTE"

UNDERLINE