Three arrested after kidnapping plot went wrong

Three Douglas men were arrested last week after a kidnapping plot went very wrong.

On March 6 shortly before 1 p.m., the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office was advised of a possible assault that accrued in a residence west of Douglas, north of Highway 80.

The Douglas Police Department reported that Francisco Parra, 35, was at the department saying that he and a friend went to an address on Southern Methodist Drive to look at a house.

Parra reported that once at the home they were assaulted by two masked men, who then attempted to tie them up.

Parra said they were able to get away, however, he did not know where his friend was. He said they had separated while running from the area.

CCSO Deputies responded to the DPD and interviewed Parra and then went to the house in question.

After a search of the home no suspects were located.

Erick Parra, 33, the second alleged victim, Francisco Parra’s bother, was located and gave the same statement that Francisco did and stating he ran through the desert to escape.

The circumstances of the reported incident led Deputies to further question Francisco Parra and one other resident, Gabriel Owen, 34, from the home was contacted and interviewed.

Deputies obtained search warrants for Francisco Parra’s vehicle and residence. CCSO located items that appeared to connect him to the assault.

According to Carol Capas, spokeswoman for the CCSO, the investigation revealed that both Francisco Parra and Erik Parra, along with Gabriel Owen, all of Douglas, had pre-planned to kidnap an unidentified Douglas man and hold him hostage.

“The three reportedly were planning to make contact with the victims’ family members and demand over $1,000,000 for his release,” Capas said. “When the victim was able to escape, Francisco Parra went to the Douglas Police Department to make it appear as if he were also a victim in this incident.”

The suspects in this case were all booked into the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office Detention Division.

The subjects are each being held on a $500,000 cash bond for the following listed charges.

Francisco Parra and Owen were both booked on charges of robbery, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, endangerment, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, unlawful imprisonment, recklessly handling a firearm and misconduct with a weapon.

Owen is also being held on a $1,612 for failure to appear warrant on a separate charge.

Erik Parra was booked on charges of robbery, aggravated robbery, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, endangerment, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, unlawful imprisonment, recklessly handling a firearm, and misconduct with a weapon.

The investigation is being continued by the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.