Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced an indictment against Rene Gloria, 57, of Muleshoe for kidnapping two children.
In February, EverythingLubbock.com covered criminal charges against Gloria who was at that time accused of sexually abusing a child.
The statement on Wednesday said Gloria’s kidnapping case was in addition to the sexual abuse indictment for a total of three children as his victims.
The new indictment on Wednesday said Gloria held two kids against their will for “ransom and reward.”
Related Story: Man admits he’s a child molester, local FBI complaint says
The full statement is copied below:
TEXAS MAN INDICTED ON CHARGES OF KIDNAPPING TWO CHILDREN AND OTHER OFFENSES
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging a Texas man with two counts of kidnapping a minor, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual activity and one count of cyberstalking.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on Dec. 24, 2018, Rene Gloria, 57, of Muleshoe, Texas allegedly kidnapped two minors to whom he was not related. In addition, Gloria allegedly used a cellular phone to attempt to coerce and entice a third minor victim into illegal sexual activity. He also allegedly used a cellular phone to cause substantial emotional distress to an adult victim.
The case is being investigated by the FBI with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Muleshoe Police Department, the Bailey County Sheriff’s Office, the Plainview Police Department and the Hale County Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Lorfing of the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
