Tucson Man Detained and Charged for Extorting Owner of El Guero Canelo Restaurants

TUCSON, AZ—Eduardo A. Sabori, 35, of Tucson, was arrested on Wednesday and has been charged with interfering with commerce by threats or violence for allegedly threatening and extorting the owner of the Guero Canelo restaurants in Tucson. According to a complaint, Sabori had first delivered a threatening ransom letter to the restaurant owner on July 9, 2011. In the letter he demanded $600,000 by midnight, Wednesday, July 13, 2011. Throughout the next few days, Sabori delivered several more instruction letters. Sabori threatened the restaurant owner with disruption of his business and physical harm to him and his family if the money wasn’t paid.

On Wednesday, FBI investigative agents, along with an FBI SWAT team, supervised delivery of a drop bag. A short time later, Sabori was apprehended attempting to retrieve the drop bag. Sabori admitted to being the principal behind the extortion attempt. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a complaint charging Sabori with the federal felony. Sabori had his initial appearance on Thursday afternoon before Federal Magistrate Judge Jennifer Guerin, who ordered him held pending a formal detention hearing to determine his release status on Monday.

“Thanks to an outstanding response and fast-moving investigation by the FBI, this attempt to extort over a half million dollars from a business owner was thwarted before anyone was harmed,” said John Evans, Criminal Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tucson.

A conviction for interfering with commerce by threats or violence carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In determining an actual sentence, the assigned District Court Judge will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence. A complaint is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation in this case was conducted by members of the Tucson FBI office and the prosecution is being handled by Micah Schmit, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER: 11-02285-M

RELEASE NUMBER: 2001-150 (Sabori)