This text is a translation of an article from CTV News
The elders were abducted from their home in the town of Moira, NY, near the Canadian border, in September 2020 and found in Magog, Eastern Townships.
Gary Arnold, of Hinchinbrooke, Que., is charged with seven felonies including kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, extortion and conspiracy.
He is accused of breaking into the couple’s home and forcing James Helm, 76, and his wife, Sandra Helm, 70, into a vehicle.
According to the indictment, Mr. Arnold drove them to Canada through Akwesasne, the Mohawk Nation territory that straddles the Canada-US border.
They were then taken by boat to Valleyfield, Quebec, where two men, Franco D’Onofrio, 57, and Kosmas Dristas, 51, were waiting for them.
In his opening statement, Crown Prosecutor Kim Chaiken explained that Arnold had coordinated the overnight transport of the two hostages to a hut in Magog, where other accomplices were waiting.
In his opening statement, the prosecutor said that while many people were involved in the plot, it was Arnold who spearheaded the operation.
Back in New York State, the couple’s son Michael Helm realized something was wrong. He soon began receiving calls from kidnappers, demanding cocaine or drug money from the couple’s nephew.
Sûreté du Québec’s tactical team managed to find the pair in Magog using tracking devices and wiretaps.
Three people were arrested at the scene and the Helms were released with no injuries.
The Crown insisted to the jury that the couple had absolutely nothing to do with their nephew’s activities.
The trial takes place before an English-speaking jury and is expected to last more than two months.
The Crown says it intends to call 14 witnesses, including kidnapping victims, and introduce surveillance tapes and wiretaps to make its case.
