Charges refiled in drug-deal-gone-bad case

Charges have been refiled against two men previously charged with attempted murder and aggravated kidnapping after police say they were involved in a drug deal gone bad last October.

Luis Mirio Ceron, 43, and Joel F. Pacheco-Ortega, 27, were both charged with the same crime last October, but 3rd District Court Judge Ann Boyden granted the defense's motion to dismiss Thursday after a critical witness failed to appear at a preliminary hearing.

Prosecutors were able to re-establish contact with the witness's family and the case was refiled later in the day.

Prosecutors say that the victim was the customer and the drug buy took place at Ceron's business, 344 W. Paxton Ave. (1180 South). Ceron, Pacheco-Ortega and two juvenile twins took the victim, bound and duct-taped him, and beat him with a pipe, the charges state. They also allegedly kicked and Tasered him.

"Defendant Ceron stuck a handgun into (the victim's) mouth and announced in some detail how (the victim) was going to die," the charges state.

After being severely injured the man was dumped into the trunk of a car. After a tip, the SWAT team entered the business and found the man in the car's trunk and the four people were still there at the business. "Mr. Pacheco-Ortega's sleeves were covered in blood," according to the charges.

The man was transported to the hospital and officers performed a search of the building. During the search they found a bloody pipe, bloody rags, duct tape and a bag with a handgun that had blood on the barrel, according to the charges.

They also found numerous units of cocaine, heroin and smaller amounts of methamphetamine, the charges said.

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