Two Bay Area men have been charged with kidnapping a businessman who was found alive bound and blindfolded in the trunk of a car.
The Alameda County District Attorney's office on Thursday charged Cesar Salsamendi, 45, and Daniel Arevalosarvia, 22, each with kidnapping, robbery and related counts that could result in each being sentenced to life in prison. Both remained in jail pending an arraignment June 12. The Alameda County public defenders' office declined comment.
The pair is accused of abducting businessman Antonio Pelayo, 59, at gunpoint the night of May 21 in Oakland. The two suspects then took Pelayo to Salsamendi's home in San Leandro, California, and they called the businessman's family demanding $150,000 for his release, according to the Oakland Police Department report. Pelayo was robbed at gunpoint of his wallet, the report adds.
Police decided to stake out the San Leandro house that night because of information received from a prior kidnapping case, according to the report. In the morning, police watched the pair leave the house in a car and authorities chased them. The car crashed after a brief pursuit, and Pelayo was found with minor injuries in the trunk blindfolded and with his ankles bound with rope.
The report says the two suspects admitted to the kidnapping.
