Officials fear abductor may run off with sweetheart scam suspect

Wednesday, July 1, 1998 | 9:21 a.m.

Douglas District Judge Michael Gibbons also told Margaret Venus Loeo on Monday that terms of her house arrest release would be tightened to allow departures only for personal medical emergencies and church services.

Loeo is accused of one count of obtaining money falsely from a person older than 65, a felony. She and two others are accused of bilking Stateline resident Anthony Brusca, 82, out of his life savings of nearly $250,000.

After Loeo posted a $250,000 bond in April, Gibbons ordered her to stay on house arrest at her mother's Sacramento home until her trial.

Monday's hearing was prompted by a report from investigators who said Loeo and her mother contacted them with fears that a former lover may kidnap Loeo.

Sgt. Detective Tim Minister said it's possible that an abduction of Loeo, an American Gypsy, could be staged, adding it's common "for Gypsy families to file false police reports and have other members swear that a crime occurred in order to accomplish their goals."

William Routsis, Loeo's attorney, called the idea ridiculous.

"To suspect that she is not going to appear because of a staged kidnapping is such a reach," he said. "I'm at a loss to see why the court is concerned."