BEAUMONT, Texas — A 67-year-old Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to the attempted kidnapping a woman and her two children from a Beaumont mall.
Robert Cardinale, 67, was indicted on a charge of aggravated kidnapping following the incident at Parkdale Mall on June 12, 2022.
Cardinale appeared before John Stevens in the Criminal District Court. He was set to stand trial, but chose to accept a plea deal.
According to the plea agreement, Cardinale could receive between five and 25 years in prison, or probation.
Judge Stevens ordered a pre-sentencing report to be completed before he decides punishment. A tentative punishment date is set for Dec. 18, 2023.
Beaumont Police first responded to Parkdale Mall after receiving a call about an aggravated kidnapping.
When officers got to the scene, they saw Cardinale leaving the mall through the food court doors with the woman and her 7-year-old and 9-month-old son, according to a probable cause affidavit. Cardinale was taken into custody.
Police said Cardinale was armed with a "large folding knife" when he approached the victims in the mall. Cardinale then told the woman and gestured for her to go with him, according to the affidavit.
The victims said they did not know Cardinale and had never seen him before the incident. The knife was found in Cardinale's left front pants pocket, according to the affidavit.
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