Ayvani Perez Update: Suspect in Ga. teen's abduction denied bond; authorities ID more suspects, report says
(CBS) ATLANTA - Wildrego Jackson, one of the suspects charged in the kidnapping of Ayvani Perez, a 14-year-old Georgia girl, appeared in federal court Thursday for a probable cause hearing and was denied bond, reports CBS Atlanta.
Perez was abducted from her Ellenwood home early Sept. 17 and was found safe 36 hours later after being dropped off by her kidnappers at her aunt's home in Conyers, an arrest warrant in the case said.
During the time the teen was missing, her family received a series of phone calls from a blocked number demanding a ransom of drugs and money, court documents say. Federal agents said in court Thursday that they were able to track that number to Jackson.
Perez told law enforcement officials she believes there were three or four males involved in her abduction, an arrest warrant in the case said. The men are said to have "shielded their faces from her," according to the warrant.
Jackson, 29, of Atlanta, and another suspect identified by the FBI as Juan Alberto Contreras-Rodriguez, a 40-year-old Mexican national, were arrested Sept. 18 in connection with the abduction.
CBS Atlanta has reported Jackson, who has a lengthy criminal record, faces a federal charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping for ransom and another charge of felon in possession of a firearm. Contreras-Rodriguez was being held on immigration-related charges.
Earlier in the investigation, authorities had released a sketch of two suspects in the case. They said Jackson and Contreras-Rodriguez were not depicted in those sketches.
In court Thursday, federal authorities said they have identified the two men in the sketches, reports the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. FBI special agent Joseph Fonseca called one of the men by the initials "C.J.," according to the paper.
Authorities have said they have not determined the relationship between Ayvani's family and the suspects, nor a motive in the case, however CBS News' Crimesider has reported the mother of Ayvani was arrested in February 2012 on drug charges with Contreras-Rodriguez, one of the suspects. Both were charged with trafficking marijuana, but those charges were later dropped.