U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today the indictment of three individuals charged in a kidnapping conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas.

 

        Cory Carnell Mitchell, 27, of Tenaha, Texas; Gary Eugene Cutright, 21, of Zwolle, LA; and Quannell Newton, 35, of Many, LA, were named in the three count indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping and possession of a firearm during a violent crime.  The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury late Jan. 20, 2016.

 

        According to the indictment, in early December 2015, Mitchell, Cutright, and Newton conspired to kidnap an individual and transport the victim from Louisiana to Carthage, Texas.  The victim was shot twice during the kidnapping, but survived.

 

If convicted, the defendants each face up to life in federal prison for the kidnapping and a minimum of 10 years for the firearms violation.

 

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigation Division. The U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lufkin Police Department, Nacogdoches Police Department, Center Police Department, Carthage Police Department, DeSoto Parrish Sheriff's Department, Sabine Parrish Sheriff's Department and the Panola County Sheriff's Department assisted in the execution of the arrest warrants.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Hable.

 

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.