Military Officer Arrested For Attempted Kidnap Of Ex-GirlfriendU.S. Department of JusticeMinneapolis, MN August 29, 2007 Rachel K. Paulose, United States Attorney District of Minnesota Military Officer Arrested on Attempted Kidnapping Charges A military officer who is currently on reserve status has been indicted for the attempted kidnapping of his former girlfriend. Timothy J. Pentaleri, age 42, of Belleville, Illinois, was arrested yesterday in the San Diego, California, area by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service. On August 22, 2007, a federal grand jury indicted Pentaleri on one count of attempted kidnapping and one count of interstate domestic violence. Those charges stem from Pentaleri’s alleged attempted kidnapping of a former girlfriend from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on June 29, 2007. The indictment and supporting documents filed in this case indicate that on June 29, 2007, law enforcement officers observed a man, later identified as Pentaleri, suspiciously watching passengers in the baggage-claim area at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. When officers approached Pentaleri, he removed a wig as well as a fake mustache and goatee, disposing of them in a nearby garbage can. During a subsequent conversation with officers, Pentaleri put his hands in his coat pockets repeatedly, even though officers had asked him to refrain from doing so. Officers subsequently patted him down for weapons, during which time, they found a knife, three cans of a mace-like irritant, a collapsible night stick commonly used by law enforcement to subdue resisting subjects, and a stun gun. Pentaleri was ultimately released. Officers from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Department then conducted a review of airport surveillance videos, which showed Pentaleri had driven to the airport in a GMC Jimmy SUV and had parked it in short-term parking. Upon inspection of the vehicle, officers found an Illinois license plate affixed to the front bumper and a stolen Minnesota plate affixed to the back bumper. As they peered into the vehicle, officers also spotted, in plain view, a large plastic liner, duct tape, flex cuffs regularly used by law enforcement to restrain suspects, rope, and a shovel, among other things. On June 30, 2007, law enforcement officers observed Pentaleri return to the airport, get into the SUV, and begin to drive away. At that point, police stopped him, placed him in custody, and impounded his car. Officers then obtained a state search warrant and commenced a thorough examination of the vehicle. Investigators found a bill of sale relative to Pentaleri’s purchase of the SUV. They also found a duffel bag containing, among other things, a pillow case, sheets cut into strips, condoms, KY jelly, and a camera. Officers also found mail addressed to the intended victim, a map from the Internet, showing directions from the airport to a road close to the woman’s Minnesota residence, as well as papers detailing what appeared to be Pentaleri’s plan to meet the woman at the airport and then abduct her. If convicted, Pentaleri faces a maximum potential sentence of twenty years in federal prison for attempted kidnapping and a maximum potential sentence of five years for interstate domestic violence. Any sentence, however, will be determined by a judge. Pentaleri is currently awaiting removal to Minnesota. This case is a result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of State, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Erica H. MacDonald and D. Anders Folk are prosecuting the case. An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by the defendant. The defendant, however, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial. Contact: Jeanne F. Cooney |
 | |||
|
