An Edinburg woman is spending the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in jail after being accused of helping her illegal immigrant husband in a foiled kidnapping plot.
Authorities arrested Linda Gonzalez on federal kidnapping conspiracy charges on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old woman is accused of helping her illegal immigrant husband Ruben Garcia-Rosario in planning the kidnapping of two girls in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
She's expected to face a federal judge on Monday but court records show that Gonzalez is accused of helping her husband write the ransom note back in August.
The note allegedly threatened the girls’ parents that their daughters would be killed if the family didn’t pay up.
Authorities said 25-year-old Garcia-Rosario had been seen driving by the girls’ elementary school bus stop where he had allegedly taken pictures of them with his cell phone.
The girls were not harmed but reported the suspicious activity to police prompting an investigation.
WSOC-TV reported that authorities got their big break in the case when a translator also went to police when Rosario-Garcia went to ask for helping translating his ransom note to English.
Prosecutors said the Rosario-Garcia was caught with multiple ransom notes, a picture of the girls on his cell phone, a loaded gun, ammunition, duct tape, latex gloves, two Mexican passports and a ski mask.
The Charlotte Observer reported that Garcia-Rosario had worked for the family painting the home.
Garcia-Rosario is facing multiple charges including:
- Illegal Immigrant/Re-Entry
- Felon in Possession of Firearm
- Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping
- Conspiracy to Kidnap a Minor (Two Counts)
Authorities allegedly learned about Gonzalez’s involvement through cell phone records.
Court records show that Gonzalez was supposed to get $10,000 dollars for her help in the case.
She’s facing two counts of conspiracy to kidnap a minor.
Gonzalez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Dorina Ramos in McAllen on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Edinburg woman is expected to appear before Judge Ramon again on Monday for an identity and bond hearing.
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