Kidnappers in the crosshairs

for Borderland Beat translated from Zeta Tijuana Article

Hugo Carlos Escobar Godoy, known as "El Moreno" or "Black", is a criminal from Sinaloa, arrested and released repeatedly. He is wanted by local authorities as a leader of a criminal gang engaged in murder, kidnapping and violent robbery in the service of Mendoza Uriarte of the Sinaloa Cartel. The State Council of public security are operating to stop them

They commit crimes in Tijuana, and are engaged in murder, kidnapping of migrants and small traders, the sale of drugs, murder, robbery with violence. Their criminal activities have allowed them to install taquerias and a ballroom in the Cucapah colony, in the same way, business of sale of automobiles in the El Florido fractionation. The Security Council of Baja California identifies them as "Los Morenos" and say they are going for them.

In the past ten months, the coordinating group has given follow-up to four criminal gangs. the killing of René Araujo López with a rifle, the morning of Tuesday, December 9 at the Boulevard Simon Bolivar, corner of Boulevard Diaz Ordaz, has revived the search for the criminals.

The researchers linked the murder with the executions of young Pablo Giovanny Zamora, which occurred on September 13, and Jorge Pérez Chávez , his Godfather in August. They resorted to statements, files of arrests, and began to build a criminal case against the cell.

Detained criminal partners identified Hugo Carlos Escobar Godoy as "El Moreno" or "Black", and his operators, all repeat offenderswho have been in and out of prison. They even noted them for crimes committed, and under that category have identified them in the Attorney General of Justice of the State, in the following manner:

* For murder and collection of piso ( extortion ), "El Moreno" joined forces with Susano Lobato Godinez "Susano", Israel Angulo Quiñonez "El Wimer", and the brothers Dávalos Magaña, Hugo Gerardo and Jonathan Alfredo; also with another man identified with the nickname of "El Chino".

* In the kidnappings, are associated Florentino Sanchez Hernandez "Michoacan" and his cronies, Junior Belem Sánchez Hernández and Reyver Sánchez Sánchez.

* For the violent robbery, his accomplices are Alberto Trejo Romero or Romero Trejo "The fleeting Chinaman" and members of his political family, to whom the authorities located by the surnames Pérez Altamirano, Guadalupe María, Rogelio and David Alberto.

In addition, researchers said to ZETA that "El Moreno" Escobar Godoy, was identified as being part of the criminal gang of Francisco Javier Mendoza Uriarte "El Chapito"; that before he committed the offence in Sinaloa, where he has a file open for extorting a family in Culiacan, asking for 300,000 pesos. Arrested, he only confessed having obtained 20 thousand pesos. Obviously he was released and moved to Tijuana.

History of arrests

Before being involved with the recent killings, Escobar was arrested on several occasions in Tijuana, with his criminal partners; his name emerged in more than one newsletter or information card.

The first time he was arrested in February of 2014: "El Moreno," along with Daniel Ortega and Andrea Dilery González, they had kidnapped a man at the St. Nicholas hotel, which is located in Avenida Paseo Guaycura. However, he was released.

In July it was reported that they had kidnapped a man in fractionation Murua. The body of the victim was abandoned in the Beltway and witnesses described the car from where the body was transferred ; Escobar and another man were arrested in the vicinity with a car of the same characteristics. He again returned to the streets.

In August, addressing a complaint citizen to the C4, reported that "from a red Cherokee they were selling drugs".

"El Negro" was arrested in the company of Abel Mendoza Jiménez and Omar Ramírez Vázquez, Escobar arrived to offer money to release them and all were consigned by bribery.

In September were arrested John Cárdenas and Christopher Agüero as the confessed murderers of the young Giovanny Ramírez and Jorge Pérez, they also identified "El Moreno," as their chief criminal. In the same month, Óscar Escobar was arrested for the murder of Miguel Inzunza in the colonia Sánchez Taboada, they were said to serve "El Moreno".

Over the course of ten months, Hugo Carlos Escobar Godoy was apprehended in possession of drugs, allegedly for retail sale. In his statement he said he was a victim of the economic situation of the country, quoting: "sometimes I do my luchita and buy drugs to sell".

Also recycled partners

Agents reported that, on the basis of the ministerial statistics, Alberto Romero "The fleeting Chinaman" had preliminary investigations opened for theft in its various forms, and his partner, Guadalupe Pérez, had eight preliminary investigations related to bank robbery.

In addition:

* David Alberto Pérez Altamirano has an active arrest warrant for robbery with violence, as well as his partner Oswaldo Montaño Velázquez.

* Florentine Hernandez Sanchez "El Michoacano" has an order against her on charges of attempted homicide, and is active.

* Jonathan Dávalos Magaña was arrested for possession of firearm and subsequently released. His brother Cristian Alberto is still imprisoned for possession of a kilo of cocaine.

* Israel Antonio "El Wimer" shot his wife and mother-in-law while they were in a car - a lawsuit by family followed, on 25 November.

* Susano Lobato has been arrested for robbery and detonations of firearm.

Shot with rifle

Ministerial authorities considered "El Susano", the offender more involved in the killing this week of René Araujo López "El Guasave" or "The pigeon", when on 9 December, his body was found lifeless "aboard a vehicle "Lincoln Navigator grey - no report of theft of the vehicle, both the vehicle and the subject, had multiple bullet impacts and  wounds, being located in the place six bullet cases of caliber 7.62 by 39 " ( round fired by AK 47 or Cuerno de Chivo ); and two bullet cases" caliber 45, and 5 deformed bullet heads ".

Violence was registered in the case file: "Multiple bullet wounds in the abdominal region and a large left arm injury, also apparently a bullet wound".

A first version of the researchers report indicated that the victim was accompanied by Josué Hernández, who during the attack, attempted to flee, but was shot and injured; the PGJE now argue that the injured party was a passer-by who was caught a stray bullet.

The police initiated the search, and "located on Calle Rosarito and Cerro Colorado Avenue home, a car brand green Chevrolet Astro, and in its interior, a rifle the so-called goat Horn ( cuerno de chivo or AK47 ), a spent bullet casing and 2 bullets of caliber 7.62 by 39, as well as 3 bullets of 38 super calibre".

"A block away from the aforementioned vehicle, found next to a tree, a handgun caliber 38 super, with four empty casings  and two unfired in the cylinder".

Among the objects found by the authorities, was a black jacket with patches of blood, bags containing two unfired cartridges calibre 38 super, and a credential in the name of Susano. The police arrested two men of 41 and 43 years old, who were  incarcerated and subsequently released, because they justified having no connection with the killing.

Approved transformation to PGR in Prosecutor's Office

The old dream of removing the monopoly of the investigation and prosecution of offences to the Executive Branch, could be provided shortly, once the Chamber of Deputies adopts an initiative issued by the law of the Prosecutor General of the Republic (FGR).

With a vote of 370 votes in favour, 46 against and six abstentions, the draft law was authorized in general and in particular,  there will be concern that the Senate ratifies it.

Thus, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) will become Attorney General and will become an autonomous constitutional body of the three branches of Government with new powers and electoral and anti-corruption obligations.

The unit will be headed by a Prosecutor General, charge that will be held by a person nominated by the Executive through a triplet, which is to be voted on and ratified by the Senate of the Republic.

The transformation of PGR to FGR aims at three "key aspects" for the federal law enforcement system:

1. Provide constitutional autonomy to the Prosecutor's Office, and not be subordinated to other power or authority to investigate and prosecute the crimes. I.e., already does not depend on the Executive Branch as it is today.

2. Enhancing the role of the public prosecutor's Office as a representative of society in the investigation and prosecution of offences falling within their competence (crimes of the federal jurisdiction).

3. Consolidate the Federal Public Ministry as an agency that fulfills an important social function, which is bringing criminal proceedings on behalf of the society, providing support and assistance to victims of offenses, respect for their human rights and law enforcement.

In terms of the functions and powers of the Attorney General of the Republic, there will be many changes, because its legal deadline to resolve the arrests of people will remain for 48 hours, and can be doubled in cases of organised crime; also, you can order the detention of persons in cases of urgency and will continue with the power to attract research of the common law that "relates" to federal jurisdiction.

The process of institutional, organizational and administrative transition from the Attorney General of the Republic will take place gradually, as the constitutional autonomy of the new Prosecutor will enter into force in 2018. At the moment it is unknown how will be carry out this process.

Reactions were swift, and the federal Member for the Labor Party, Loretta Ortiz, said that the so-called transformations are only a change of name, so "change the name of Attorney Prosecutor hardly solves such severe problems.

For his part, the legislator of the institutional Revolutionary Party, Luis Cruz Flores Gómez José, said that the new legislation is a step forward in the transformation of a new Mexican State, where citizens will have the certainty that their authorities are led on the runways of law, objectivity and the general good.

The Member of the national action party, Karina Labastida Sotelo, also was optimistic, saying that the Prosecutor will be the institution in which falls the responsibility of public policies in the area of prevention and prosecution of crimes, social defence and the protection of victims. 

Other kidnappers

Thursday, December 11, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) reported "before a district judge, four men as likely responsible for the crime of illegal deprivation of liberty, in the form of kidnapping, and crimes stipulated in the Federal firearms and Explosives Act". They were arrested in an operation carried out Sunday 7th, "in the street Reyna of the Cerro colony of bees in Tijuana, where they managed to liberate a victim of kidnapping, this will ensure that today the are charged with, possession of a rifle, three handguns and cash ".

Itwas published in the press that they had released the son of a businessman, the father of the victim and complainant, however, did not mention that he was businessman when he sought out local authorities. The man came to the Prosecutor's Office over the weekend to ask which Protocol was to be used when there was a kidnapping, they asked that he denounced and refused, but he gave information because he wanted to help. He admitted that his son had been deprived of freedom because one of his colleagues, that he was asking for money that was owed him and the boy took it to be delivered.

During his captivity, the youth remained in communication by the cell phone WhatsApp application with his father, his captors did not remove hiscell phone. The parent said authorities did not want to or could not pay the money which, according to him, was demanded by the friend, but asked for help  to rescue his son. A little later came lawyer Humberto Valdez from State facilities on behalf of the father. He told agents that he was ready and that agents had to go at some time, somewhere, to rescue him. He was informed that this didn't work, the process of complaint and investigation of a kidnapping, and the Attorney at law withdrew.

After he attended the PGR with the same version of events and they carried out an operation, then, the kidnapped boy had already been released by their captors. Federal agents followed the geo-Locator truck that the victim's father had given to criminals and detained them.

The car and the men in the pictures took part in the shooting of Thursday, December 11. The coordination group requests that anyone, who has information of those involved, provide it through the  anonymous complaint number 089.

Shootout

Around 6:00 pm on Thursday, December 11, the Soler neighborhood residents witnessed a shootout with rifles, according to the first report.

Men aboard three vehicles tried to attack and were shot dead while they were in the parking lot of a local fast food on the calle Braulio Maldonado.

When police units arrived, those involved fled. Minutes after the confrontation, the Municipal Police located in the vicinity two cars involved in the incident.

(Luis Carlos Sáinz Martínez/ZETA)