Five Individuals Convicted for Federal Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping

     TYLER, Texas – A 22-year-old Zwolle, LA man has been sentenced to federal prison for his part in a kidnapping conspiracy scheme targeting individuals in the Eastern District of Texas and surrounding area, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today

     Gary Cutright pleaded guilty on Jan. 10, 2017, to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.

     According to information presented in court, between July 2014 and January 2016, Cutright conspired with several individuals to commit kidnapping, robberies and assaults throughout the Eastern District of Texas and the Western District of Louisiana. Specifically, Cutright and his codefendants are responsible for a December 2015 incident in which an individual was kidnapped in Louisiana and brought to Carthage, Texas. Defendants were also responsible for a March 2016 incident in which an individual was kidnapped from Longview, Texas.

     Other defendants convicted in the conspiracy include:

     Cory Carnell Mitchell, 29, of Tenaha, Texas pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2017, to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark on April 5, 2017.

     Montonious Robinson, 22, of Shreveport, LA, pleaded guilty on Ja. 10, 2017, to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison on May 4, 2017 by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.

     Christopher Douglas, 33, of Logansport, LA, pleaded guilty on Apr. 6, 2017 in the Western District of Louisiana, to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and will be sentenced at a later date.

     Quannell Newton, 37, of Many, LA, pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2016, to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark on Feb. 21, 2017.

     The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives (ATF) and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigation Division – Tyler (DPS-CID). The United States Marshals Service (USMS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 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. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Hable in the Eastern District of Texas and by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Cowles in the Western District of Louisiana.