The front page of the Diario Libre carries the stories of two of the latest kidnappings, which have been resolved by the National Police. In the case of Oscar Lama, the son of a well-known local businessman, the police said the suspects had been captured and have been held in jail for the past week. According to sources, the police have captured the major players in the case of Oscar Lama, and are looking for additional members of the gang.
The men in gray also told reporters that they had solved the kidnapping of the six-year-old son of Italian businessman, Antonio Moffa, and Yudelka Zorilla, in Boca Chica. Yesterday, two of the accused in the Boca Chica abduction turned themselves in to police. Hector Jos? Tejada (aka David Colita), the supposed head of the kidnapping ring, died in a confrontation with law officers who were in pursuit. Erinerda Altagracia Rosario, his spouse, turned herself in. She denied her involvement in the crime, but disclosed that her spouse was under much stress in recent days. Also being sought by police was Luis M. Pantaleon Dilone, who similarly turned himself in. Police said they had recovered RD$750,000 in ransom money paid by the parents of the child. They also arrested Jose Antonio Ventura (Tony Tatuaje) and Johnatan Villa, suspected in the case and are after the trail of former police sargeant Angel Ventura Sanchez who had been fired from the force for bad conduct. The child was taken as he left his school, but was returned to his family unharmed. The family sought the help of the police when the kidnappers first made their demands of US$200,000 in ransom, which was negotiated down to RD$750,000.
The safe return of the child marks the third kidnapping case solved by police, who say that families who turn to private negotiators do not have the same rate of success. None of the kidnapping cases handled by private negotiators have been resolved.