Jury finds Quebec man guilty in abduction, extortion of N.Y. couple

A Quebec man was found guilty of multiple charges on Sunday for his role in the abduction of a couple in their 70s from Upstate New York in September 2020.

A jury convicted Gary Arnold on five counts including kidnapping, extortion and conspiracy to kidnap James and Sandra Helm of Moira, N.Y.

The Helms were taken from their home, smuggled into Quebec by boat through the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne and held at a cottage in Magog, Que. for two days before being rescued by a Quebec provincial police tactical unit unharmed on Sept. 29, 2020.

The prosecution said Arnold was one of four men behind a conspiracy to kidnap the couple.

The Crown argued the couple were kidnapped as leverage in a bid to recover 50 kilograms of cocaine, $3.5 million cash from their grandson, Mackenzie, who had been arrested in Vermont six days earlier with the drugs.

A total of 10 calls were made to the couple's son, Michael Helm, seeking ransom or his nephew.

James Helm died before the trial, but Sandra Helm testified that Arnold was one of two masked men in her bedroom the night of Sept, 27, 2020 when the couple were kidnapped.

Arnold's prepaid cellphone was also detected at a cell tower near the Helm's home when they were being abducted. Prosecutors argued that Arnold was important because of his contacts and knowledge about how to get into Quebec through the Akwesasne Mohawk reserve from a previous conviction for smuggling cigarettes.

Prosecutors noted that phone records suggested Arnold was in constant contact with the co-conspirators.

Arnold was never seen at the cottage where the Helms were held, about 125 kilometres southeast of Montreal.

The four other co-accused were arrested the same day the Helms were rescued.

Arnold was intercepted in a farmer's field and had his phone seized. He was arrested on Oct. 1, 2020.

Arnold, 54, testified at his trial that he had acted under threats against his life and his family, did not know anything about a kidnap plot, had never met any member of the Helm family and denied being inside the couple's home.

He said he followed orders from a man named "Big" who instructed him to do various tasks like transporting phones, sending text messages and picking up catheters that Sandra Helm needed.