Jury finds Quebec man guilty in abduction, extortion of N.Y. couple in September 2020

A jury has found a Quebec man guilty of taking part in the kidnapping of a couple in their 70s from Upstate New York in September 2020. James and Sandra Helm of Moira, N.Y. were taken from their home, smuggled into Quebec 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.

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 or 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.