Two men face life in prison in kidnapping case

Two men convicted in a 2005 human trafficking incident that resulted in a police showdown at the Travelodge in Costa Mesa face life in prison when they are scheduled to be sentenced in May, while the woman and child held at the motel may be able to remain in the United States.

Reynaldo Junior Eid, 48, of New York and Alaor Docarmo Oliveira Jr., 54, of Danbury, Connecticut were found guilty Wednesday of two felony counts of kidnapping for ransom. The pair were arrested in November 2005 when, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, they held a Brazilian woman and child at the motel near John Wayne Airport and demanded money from their husband and father who had paid to have them brought into the United States illegally.

Deputy District Atty. Andre Manssourian said the woman and child have been reunited with the father in Florida and may be able to stay in the United States permanently. They have stayed in the country for more than two years, he said, due to the ongoing court case.

“They were intentionally not deported during the pendency of the case because the government is not allowed to deport witnesses to a case,” Manssourian said. “The defendants have a right to have their witnesses in the country and not be deported. There is a possibility that they [the wife and son] will be able to stay permanently because of a U.S. law that allows victims of human trafficking crimes to be able to stay in the country as legal residents.”