Ayvani Perez Update: Mother of rescued Ga. girl and kidnapping suspect linked
Updated 9:30 p.m. EST
(CBS) - The mother of Ayvani Perez, a 14-year-old Georgia girl who was found safe Wednesday after being abducted from her home early Tuesday, was arrested in February 2012 on drug charges with one of the men suspected in her daughter's abduction, a spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed to CBS News' Crimesider.
The Henry Daily Herald reported on Feb. 23, 2012 that Maria Magdalena Corral, who has been identified by multiple sources as the mother of Ayvani Perez, was arrested with Juan Alberto Contreras-Ramirez and three others following a drug raid in Stockbridge, Ga. The five people were arrested on charges of trafficking marijuana, according to the paper.
During the raid, agents with the Flint Circuit Drug Task Force recovered about 550 pounds of marijuana and $3,000 in cash, police reportedly told the paper.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports Corral was never indicted in the drug-trafficking case and Contreras-Ramirez had the charges dropped against him after a judge ruled the search of the home was unconstitutional because the agents lacked a warrant.
Police confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Ayvani was found safe after being abducted from her Ellenwood home early Tuesday. Chief Gregory Porter with the Clayton County police says Ayvani was found "at a location in Conyers, Georgia" and that two suspects were in custody.
The FBI identified the kidnapping suspects in custody as Juan Alberto Contreras-Rodriguez, described as a 40-year-old Mexican national, and Wildrego Jackson, 29, of Atlanta. ICE confirmed to Crimesider that Contreras-Rodriguez also goes by Contreras-Ramirez.
"It is the same guy," Vincent Picard, spokesperson for ICE, said.
The FBI said in a news conference Wednesday that Rodriguez is being held on immigration-related charges and Jackson is being held on conspiracy to kidnap.
Authorities say they are looking at several other suspects in the kidnapping.
They also said during the news conference that officials have not determined the relationship between Ayvani's family and the suspects. They said the motive has not been determined.
The kidnapping happened on a cul-de-sac in Ellenwood, a small community about 10 miles southeast of Atlanta, police said. Stockbridge, where the 2012 drug trafficking arrests occurred, is about 10 miles from Ellenwood.
A spokesman for the Clayton County police told CBS News' Crimesider that police were not aware of any connection between the mother of Ayvani Perez and the kidnapping suspects, and had been focused on rescuing the teen. Crimesider has left messages with two other law enforcement agencies involved in the 2012 drug case, which have not been returned.