Pubdate: Wed, 17 Dec 2003
Source: San Antonio Express-News (TX)
Copyright: 2003 San Antonio Express-News
Contact:  http://www.mysanantonio.com/expressnews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/384
Author: Guillermo Contreras

FIVE DUE IN COURT IN CASE OF UNDERCOVER OFFICER'S KIDNAPPING

Court appearances are scheduled today for five people accused of 
participating in a drug deal in which an undercover officer was kidnapped 
at gunpoint.

Among the group was allegedly a member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, 
Gilbert Sanchez, whom authorities said held the officer at gunpoint in an 
apparent robbery attempt. The agent, a member of an anti-drug and gang task 
force, was not identified, but sustained only minor injuries and was back 
on the job today.

The incident unfolded in broad daylight - about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday - in the 
parking lot of a business at South Zarzamora and Southwest Military Drive, 
said Javier Pena, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in San Antonio.

"This was an actual kidnapping which was going to result in the killing of 
a task force agent," Pena said.

But the kidnapping was foiled when the officer fought with his captors and 
San Antonio police helped foil the getaway, Pena said.

"If not for this, we would have lost a task force agent," he said. "It 
shows that the streets are getting more and more violent."

The DEA said it doesn't believe that the suspects knew the person they were 
dealing cocaine with was an undercover agent.

Authorities said Sanchez was wearing a bulletproof vest and rubber gloves. 
Two other men and two women were in two separate cars. The men also were 
wearing rubber gloves, authorities said.

The other suspects were identified in court as John Michael Pope, 
Christopher Sanchez, Teresa Ortega and Nicole Koenig.

According to court documents, Pope was waiting in one of the cars and had a 
loaded AK-47.
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