Caught

Accused kidnapper Vicente Ignacio Beltran-Moreno has been caught.

MANATEE - The prospect of being closer to his girlfriend and two children - and of facing prison time in in his native Mexico - combined to convince kidnapping suspect Vicente Ignacio Beltran-Moreno to turn himself in to American authorities, authorities said.

"Prisons in the Untied States are in a lot better shape than they are in Mexico," Manatee County Sheriff's Maj. Connie Shingledecker said at Wednesday's news conference announcing Beltran-Moreno's arrest.

Beltran-Moreno was in FBI custody near McAllen, Texas, near the U.S-Mexico border, awaiting extradition to Florida.

Earlier at the conference, Manatee County Sheriff Charlie Wells said Beltran-Moreno was in daily contact with local officials before he turned himself in.

"We learned later (after the kidnapping) that he was in Mexico. An awful lot of effort has gone into getting him and getting him back here. He is is custody down in Texas," Wells said.

There's no word at 2:30 p.m. about the reaction of the 13-year-old Clay Moore, who was in school in Palmetto. His principal said he was allowed to finish testing, and then was told of the suspect's apprehension during lunch.

People who commit crimes against children often have a tough time surviving. Beltran-Moreno may yet regret his return to the United States.

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