Pair Charged With Kidnapping 6 Illegal Immigrants

Two men were arraigned Tuesday in Pasadena Superior Court on charges of kidnapping six illegal immigrants--including a woman and her three children--and demanding ransoms from the victims’ relatives in the United States.

Ceasar Duarte and Ruben Castaneda were arrested Friday by Pasadena police after a high-speed chase and a subsequent raid on a Santa Ana home where some illegal immigrants were held captive while others stood guard, authorities said.

Duarte, 40, and Castaneda, 24, were charged with conspiracy and multiple counts of kidnapping for ransom for allegedly keeping the Mexican citizens against their will for 13 days.

In addition, Duarte, also known as Jesus Soto, was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting a peace officer and evading police in the chase, Deputy Dist. Atty. Tamia Hope said.

If convicted, both men could serve life sentences, she said. A preliminary hearing was set for Feb. 13.

According to prosecutors, Pasadena resident Jose Mijarez told police last week that he had found a note on his front door with instructions to call an Orange County telephone number for information about his family. The note said they needed his help.

Mijarez called and learned that his ex-wife, Angelica Sugech, and their three children, ages 8, 10 and 13, had been smuggled across the border from Mexico and were unable to pay the fee, according to documents filed in court by prosecutors.

Mijarez was allegedly told that his family was being held hostage, and for the next two days negotiated a ransom.

Undercover Pasadena police officers arranged to meet Duarte and pay $3,900 for the release of the children at the corner of 7th and Alameda streets in Los Angeles late Friday night, authorities said.

Officers recovered the children. But Duarte allegedly fled in his car, striking a police cruiser. As he sped away, Duarte threw the ransom money out the window, Hope said. Police said they later recovered it.

Pasadena police and California Highway Patrol officers chased the suspect on the Santa Ana Freeway. Duarte was arrested on Bake Parkway in Lake Forest after spike strips stretched across the freeway disabled his car.

Authorities served a search warrant at a home in Santa Ana where the immigrants were allegedly held. Three adults, including Sugech, were being held in the home in a locked patio area, Pasadena Police Lt. Rick Aversano said.

Castaneda was arrested by Pasadena police at the Santa Ana home. Immigration and Naturalization Service agents arrested seven other illegal immigrants on charges of smuggling and concealing aliens, spokeswoman Sharon Gavin said. At various times all seven stood guard over the captives, she added.

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Times correspondent Alex Katz contributed to this story.