Kidnapper extradicted to Virginia

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

MARTINSVILLE, VA. — Raquel Gorrochotegui-maya, 31, who was extradited from Grants after allegedly kidnapping his 1-year-old daughter Katie, from her mother in Virginia, is currently in custody in the Henry County Jail on a no bond hold in Martinsville, Va.

Gorrochotegui-maya was picked up by two Virginia State Police officers at the Cibola County Detention Center Tuesday and arrived in back in Virginia late that day, Henry County Sheriff's Department Sgt. William D. White, the investigator on the case said.

"This was a domestic relations case that occurred a few days before Gorrochotegui-maya was arrested in Grants. He had pushed his wife down and then disappeared with the child," he said.

"We have dealt with Gorrochotegui-maya several times during the past year, since the child was born," he said.

Hilda Mabry, office administrator for the Henry County Commonwealth Attorney's Office, which is the Virginia's version of a district attorney's office, said Gorrochotegui-maya was seen by a local magistrate the day he arrived and placed on the no bond hold.

"Mr. Gorrochotegui-maya has a bond hearing on June 23 and if a bond is set he could be released if he makes bond," she said.

Following the bond hearing he is scheduled to appear at the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on May 30, she said. On July 31, he is set to have a preliminary hearing in the same court.

"The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court is the court that handles all family domestic relations and cases involving juveniles," Mabry said.

The judge will then decide whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial, she said.

If there is enough evidence, his case will be presented to the Henry County grand jury in September followed by a pre-trial hearing where he will plead guilty or not guilty.

It is possible a plea agreement may be worked out between the Commonwealth Attorney's office and the public defender if the judge determines there is enough evidence to go to trial

Everything is moot, however, if he is released on bond and fails to show for any of his hearings.

Gorrochotegui-maya's daughter, Katie, is now back with her mother in Martinsville. White said the mother is Hispanic, as the father is, and while he speaks fluent English, she does not speak a word of English.

White said he did not know whether she is an illegal immigrant or not, but even if she is, the Immigration and Customs Service does not do anything about one person.

On May 14, Sgt. Jason Fank arrested Gorrochotegui-maya , who was using an alias of Henry Molina and had identification with both names, all had the same birth date and the same photo.

Gorrochotegui-maya was arrested at Wal-Mart while panhandling and Fank and Lt. Maxine Spidle, through numerous telephone calls to Texas and Virginia, determined that Gorrochotegui-maya was not supposed to have the child, she was legally in the custody of her mother through a divorce proceeding.

"Wrong thing to do"

Henry County Commonwealth Attorney Bob Bushnell said he takes parental kidnapping cases seriously, especially if they defy a court order and cross state lines.

"If a parent takes a child from the legal custodian, against a court order and stays in Virginia, it is a misdemeanor," he said.

"If they cross state lines as Mr. Gorrochotegui-maya did, it becomes a felony and is punishable by five years in prison," he said.

"It's the wrong thing to do," he said.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197, or fax: (505) 287-2581