Kidnap Victim Freed

FBI agents and police say a Huntington Beach man held for two weeks in a ransom kidnapping, was freed over the weekend and five people were arrested.

Authorities say they found Sohiel Daliri, a business owner also known as Bernard Daliri, in a Long Beach motel room on Saturday. He had been tied to a bed, blindfolded and gagged with duct tape. The kidnap victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for dehydration, but authorities say he suffered no other injuries.

Investigators said the kidnappers knew Daliri, and were seeking ransom in a range up to 30-thousand dollars. He was found when investigators followed two suspects after a meeting with the victim´s girlfriend to discuss a ransom pickup.

Five Orange County men were jailed in lieu of $250,000 bond each. In addition a juvenile was arrested for alleged auto theft and hit-and-run driving using the victim´s car.

Huntington Beach Police Lieutenant William Stuart said of finding the kidnap victim bound, blindfolded and gagged: “We had some police officers with 20 or more years of experience and these guys were stunned because they said it was like something that you see on TV.”