Federal Kidnapping Indictment Shakes East Texas Community

TYLER, Texas – A chilling federal kidnapping conspiracy has been revealed in East Texas, leaving residents shaken. Three men have been indicted for their alleged roles in a violent crime that left a victim shot and fighting for their life.

Cory Carnell Mitchell, 27, of Tenaha, Texas, Gary Eugene Cutright, 21, of Zwolle, LA, and Quannell Newton, 35, of Many, LA, were named in the three-count indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, and possession of a firearm during a violent crime. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury late January 20, 2016.

According to the indictment, in early December 2015, Mitchell, Cutright, and Newton allegedly conspired to kidnap an individual and transport the victim from Louisiana to Carthage, Texas. The victim was shot twice during the kidnapping, but miraculously survived.

The investigation, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigation Division, uncovered a complex web of deceit and violence. The U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Hable is prosecuting the case, which is now in the hands of a federal court. If convicted, the defendants each face up to life in federal prison for the kidnapping and a minimum of 10 years for the firearms violation.

The indictment serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of violent crime and the importance of law enforcement’s tireless efforts to bring justice to victims. The community is left to wonder how such a heinous crime could have occurred, and what drove the perpetrators to commit such atrocities.

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is ongoing, and the Grimy Times will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.