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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Four Face Kidnapping Charges In Yakima

Associated Press

Indictments have been issued against four people in a kidnapping that investigators believe stemmed from a business dispute at a Walla Walla tortilla factory.

A U.S. District Court grand jury on Tuesday issued indictments against Arnulfo Osorio-Navarro; his brother, Gustavo Osorio-Navarro; Ezequivel Santana Fernandez; and Arnulfo Osorio-Navarro’s wife, Consuelo Osorio.

The three men each are charged with kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, deputy court clerk Anna Lopez-Seybold said. Consuelo Osorio is charged only with conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Consuelo Osorio entered an innocent plea Thursday. The men were scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

Ampelio Guzman was kidnapped Aug. 15 as a result of a business disagreement with Arnulfo Osorio-Navarro, prosecutors say. Guzman is the owner of Imelda’s Tortillas and Arnulfo Osorio-Navarro is the founder.

The Osorio-Navarros kidnapped Guzman at gunpoint at the factory and drove him to a home in Buena, where Santana Fernandez helped guard the victim in a garage, prosecutors say.

The next day Guzman was taken back to the tortilla factory, where Arnulfo Osorio-Navarro was arrested. Gustavo Osorio-Navarro and Consuelo Osorio were arrested the same day at their home, while Santana Fernandez was arrested at his home six days later.

Guzman was hit over the head with a gun during the kidnapping, but no medical care was required, officials said.

During the kidnapping, Guzman was forced to write a note giving up control of the business to Arnulfo Osorio-Navarro, authorities said. But the ownership wasn’t transferred.

Guzman had stopped making payments to Arnulfo Osorio-Navarro because of what he considered a breach of contract, prosecutors say.