PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Two bounty hunters from Connecticut were charged with kidnapping and conspiracy Thursday in the same court where hours earlier they had detained a suspect wanted on unrelated Connecticut charges, a state police news release said Thursday.
The bounty hunters, identified as Angel Guadalupe, 45, of Bristol, Connecticut, and William Sobota, 40, of Burlington, Connecticut, had learned that a man wanted in Connecticut on misdemeanor charges was going to be in Providence District Court, so they went there to pick him up, a news release from the Rhode Island State Police said.
Connecticut bounty hunters have no authority in Rhode Island, the news release said.
After their target was arraigned Thursday morning on the Rhode Island charge, Guadalupe and Sobota led him away.
A trooper providing security at the courthouse was alerted and confirmed that Connecticut had no warrant for the suspect on a charge for which he could be extradited.
Other troopers arrested the bounty hunters in their vehicle on Route 95 south near Route 117 in Warwick.
Guadalupe and Sobota were taken back to the Providence courthouse and charged Thursday afternoon with kidnapping and conspiracy. They were released on their own recognizance.
The man they had detained was released.
— dnaylor@providencejournal.com
(401) 277-7411
On Twitter: @donita22