Cole Puffinburger, 6yrs old, Las Vegas KIDNAPPED 10/15/08 (FOUND ALIVE in VEGAS)

[MuffyBee]

      I hope young Cole is found alive and well, but it just doesn't look good, considering...

[2NJSons_Mom]

I just watched the press conference on Fox at 5pm....seems they have had leads which brought searches that produced evidence, including large amounts of cash.  They are also implementing a search in a north east section of the area. 

I believe one of the press asked about whether Cole's mother was cooperating with LE.  The response was evasive, but the official did say that many persons of interest are acquaintances of the family.   

[pinklady]

I just watched the press conference on Fox at 5pm....seems they have had leads which brought searches that produced evidence, including large amounts of cash.  They are also implementing a search in a north east section of the area. 

I believe one of the press asked about whether Cole's mother was cooperating with LE.  The response was evasive, but the official did say that many persons of interest are acquaintances of the family.   

Did they mention why the Amber Alert was deactivated?

[klaasend]

Jesus Gastelum

http://www.kvbc.com/global/story.asp?s=9200203&ClientType=Printable

New person of interest named in kidnapping case

Updated: Oct 18, 2008 02:31 PM PDT
 
Metro Police Saturday announced a new person of interest in the kidnapping of 6-year-old Cole Puffinburger. They would like to talk to a Mexican national by the name of Jesus Gastelum.

Police also have someone else in custody, but they did not identify that person.

Metro Police believe Gastelum is in Las Vegas or southern California. Police continue to search for Puffinburger and are focusing their search in the northeastern Las Vegas Valley. 

[2NJSons_Mom]

I just watched the press conference on Fox at 5pm....seems they have had leads which brought searches that produced evidence, including large amounts of cash.  They are also implementing a search in a north east section of the area. 

I believe one of the press asked about whether Cole's mother was cooperating with LE.  The response was evasive, but the official did say that many persons of interest are acquaintances of the family.   

Did they mention why the Amber Alert was deactivated?

The press conference was already in progress when Fox joined to listen, and the speaker opened with the deactivation of the amber alert.  I don't remember verbatim what he said, but basically stated that the alert had given a wide awareness of Cole's kidnapping, his picture was distributed and because multiple children advocate or missing person organizations were now actively assisting, they felt the alert was no longer needed.  Flyers also had been widely distributed. 

If I can find a video of the conference, I will post it, shortly.  I looked earlier and didn't find one.

[MumInOhio]

Says the number of tips dropped off??

Cops Chase Leads in Missing Boy Case
Seek New 'Person of Interest,' Conduct Searches in Disappearance of Boy Whose Grandfather Has Been Tied to Mexican Drug Ring
By KAREN MOONEY and MICHAEL S. JAMES
Oct. 18, 2008 
 
Nevada officials have called off an Amber Alert for a kidnapped 6 year old, but nonetheless continue to direct searches, seize evidence and name "people of interest" in pursuit of his abductors, police said.

A nationwide search is under way for a missing 6-year-old boy, Cole Puffinburger, left who was kidnapped after men allegedly posing as police officers tied up his mother and her boyfriend, Las Vegas police said. His grandfather, Clemens Tinnemeyer, 51, right, was arrested by the FBI as a "person of interest" in the case
(AP Photo/Las Vegas Metro Police Dept.)
The missing boy, Cole Puffinburger, was kidnapped Wednesday morning from his Las Vegas home.

"The number of tips that have come into the Amber Alert line has slowed considerably," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Capt. Vince Cannito told reporters, explaining the rationale for discontinuing the Amber Alert.


"We are following up on a number of leads at this time," Cannito added. "Over the past 24 hours, a number of search warrants have been executed."


Cannito said leads were driving authorities to actively search the northeastern Las Vegas valley for an unspecified target, to recover "a large amount of cash through some of these search warrants," to question "people of interest" and to seek another suspect -- identified as Mexican national Jesus Gastelum. Cannito said Gastelum's name had come up repeatedly as authorities pursued different leads.

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6063142&page=1

Edited to add link

[2NJSons_Mom]

I just watched the press conference on Fox at 5pm....seems they have had leads which brought searches that produced evidence, including large amounts of cash.  They are also implementing a search in a north east section of the area. 

I believe one of the press asked about whether Cole's mother was cooperating with LE.  The response was evasive, but the official did say that many persons of interest are acquaintances of the family.   

Did they mention why the Amber Alert was deactivated?

The press conference was already in progress when Fox joined to listen, and the speaker opened with the deactivation of the amber alert.  I don't remember verbatim what he said, but basically stated that the alert had given a wide awareness of Cole's kidnapping, his picture was distributed and because multiple children advocate or missing person organizations were now actively assisting, they felt the alert was no longer needed.  Flyers also had been widely distributed. 

If I can find a video of the conference, I will post it, shortly.  I looked earlier and didn't find one.

Found one, and it's better to listen for yourself...I certainly didn't relay it 'perfectly'.
Video on top right....

http://cbs2.com/local/Cole.Puffinburger.Kidnapping.2.843518.html

[MumInOhio]

LOL 2NJSons...I was waiting to see what you were posting and forgot my link to the above article....

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6063142&page=1

[AZLady]

"Money is a huge factor, obviously. Drugs are a huge factor," Johnson said. "The only innocent person involved in this entire operation is the boy."

http://cbs2.com/local/Cole.Puffinburger.Kidnapping.2.843518.html

This is telling.  The police have recovered a large amount of cash already through search warrants.  They are searching Northeast Las Vegas in a coordinated effort.  I think they are simultaneously busting a drug ring as they search for Cole.

[AZLady]

In addition to the grandfather in custody, they have also arrested another person of interest and are searching for Jesus Gastelum.  It sounds as if the family and friends of the family are all involved in this drug ring.  When asked about the boy's mother, the detective giving the interview indicated that family members and friends were involved in the drug ring.  I think they will break this ring very quickly, but I hope they have acted quickly enough to avoid Cole's being taken across the border.

[MumInOhio]

Hi AZ...I have been wondering if they dropped the Amber Alert in hopes of keeping Cole alive...Not sure it will make a difference with the people involved. 

This kid has to be so scared!

[Red]

Why must children pay for the sins of adults.

Like this selfish fool did not think that he would be putting his family in danger by stealing from drug dealers. Because drug dealers are so compassionate and understanding.

[2NJSons_Mom]

AZLady & Mum,

I picked up on the same info when I watched the press conference.  It was already in progress, as I had posted, but those details about the family stood out for me.  If LE is able to put an end to this particular ring, that's all well and good.  Cole, however, is just a little boy.  What a sick world.  I truly hope he's still alive, but agree that he must be terrorized. 

Mum, I added your link.  This computer is so slow loading the pages, someone always beats me to the punch.  I noticed that my son's Mac is so much quicker, but his font is too small for me and I don't want to manipulate that on him, plus I hate his keyboard.   

[MuffyBee]

Why must children pay for the sins of adults.

Like this selfish fool did not think that he would be putting his family in danger by stealing from drug dealers. Because drug dealers are so compassionate and understanding.

It is all about money and power, I guess.  Poor little Cole.  I keep checking for news. 

[AZLady]

Why must children pay for the sins of adults.

Like this selfish fool did not think that he would be putting his family in danger by stealing from drug dealers. Because drug dealers are so compassionate and understanding.

Exactly.  And, I would guess that other family members, maybe even Cole's mother, are also involved in the drug dealing business.  These are usually family businesses.  The police intimated that no one was innocent in this except for Cole.  The coward grandfather took off in May for Tennessee, so he said, and they reported him missing in September.  Ha!  He didn't go missing--he deliberately disappeared to avoid the heat.  The Mexican cartel wasn't buying that, and knew his family knew where he was.  That's why they invaded his daughter's home and then took the child.  I can't believe they didn't shoot either the daughter or her husband during the home invasion when they didn't get the information, money or drugs.  They want the grandfather, Tinnemeyer, and knew they could get to him through the child, Cole.  This is just unbridled violence from a bunch of thugs.

[2NJSons_Mom]

Why must children pay for the sins of adults.

Like this selfish fool did not think that he would be putting his family in danger by stealing from drug dealers. Because drug dealers are so compassionate and understanding.

Exactly, Red....and it seems it's not just the grandfather....shameful.

[AZLady]

Poor Cole.  Even if found alive and well, he will be taken into state custody and put in foster care.  They won't return him to family involved in drug dealing.  Never.  The poor child has a lifetime of foster care in front of him.  And people say drugs are a victim-less crime!  Ha!  What do they think poor Cole is?  He's a victim of his greedy and criminal family.

[2NJSons_Mom]

Poor Cole.  Even if found alive and well, he will be taken into state custody and put in foster care.  They won't return him to family involved in drug dealing.  Never.  The poor child has a lifetime of foster care in front of him.  And people say drugs are a victim-less crime!  Ha!  What do they think poor Cole is?  He's a victim of his greedy and criminal family.

I believe I read that Cole's mother was living with her boyfriend.  I read today that Cole's father was pleading for them to let him go....just wondering if his father is cut from the same cloth, so to speak. 

[MumInOhio]

I'm surprised they didn't harm the Mom and her fiance. An extra message.  You would think if the Mom knew what the the Grandfather had done, then she would have left as well...

I just don't think it looks good for Cole.  It just makes me sick to think of how scared he must have been while this was all going on at his house and now if they still have him!

[2NJSons_Mom]

I'm surprised they didn't harm the Mom and her fiance. An extra message.  You would think if the Mom knew what the the Grandfather had done, then she would have left as well...

I just don't think it looks good for Cole.  It just makes me sick to think of how scared he must have been while this was all going on at his house and now if they still have him!

Someone posted on Caylee's thread that it was odd that Cole was fully dressed in school clothes at 7:30am....his class supposedly started at 9:30am....so I'm sure there are some who suspect the mother/fiance could be involved in the kidnapping...who know's at this point?.  Hopefully, we'l know when this is solved.