San Diego, California - William D. Gore, Special Agent in Charge, San Diego Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, requests the public's assistance in locating a missing Mexican child believed to have been kidnapped on August 30, 2000, in the Mexicali, Mexico locale.

The victim, Francisco Javier Andrade Vega, born June 27, 1989, was last seen at approximately 8:00 p.m., on Wednesday, August 30, 2000, in the company of Francisco Phalen Hernandez.

Phalen sold candy to construction workers by day and to children in the evening. He had allegedly befriended 11-year-old Andrade and his circle of friends by visiting them daily in an alley near Andrade's home.

According to witnesses, Phalen offered Andrade and another child a ride on his bicycle, having told them he was going to take them to his house to give them a Nintendo video game. The second minor did not accompany the two to Phalen's home, however, Andrade stayed on the bicycle and was last seen riding with Phalen, near his Mexicali residence.

Andrade's family filed a complaint with Mexican law enforcement within hours of the child's disappearance. While an intensive investigation has been conducted in Mexico, a request has been made for assistance from U. S. law enforcement in an effort to locate the child. Francisco Phalen is being sought by the FBI and the Imperial County Sheriff's Office for questioning in the disappearance of Andrade.

Based on investigation conducted to date, it is believed Phalen may have fled to the San Diego area with Andrade. Phalen may have contacts in the Chula Vista vicinity, as well as Los Angeles.

A description of the Andrade Vega (victim) is as follows:

Full Name: Francisco Javier Andrade Vega
Date of Birth: June 27, 1989
Age: 11 years
Race: White
Sex: Male
Nationality: Mexican
Clothing: Last seen wearing a light-colored t-shirt, blue denim shorts and tennis shoes
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A description of Phalen is as follows:

Full Name: Francisco Daniel Phalen Hernandez
Date of Birth: January 16, 1969
Aliases: Damien Javier Jiminez, Javier Damien Jiminez, Mario Torres; Torres Mario; Damien Tapia Jiminez; Damien Javier Jiminez; Montezuma Marcos Antonio Lopez; James H. Pholen; Montezuma Marcos Antonio Lopez; Javier Villasana Jr., Javier Villasana, Javier Hernandez Phalen; Hernandez Javier Phalen; Javier Phalen; Javier Hernandez; Francisco Sanchez Gonzalez; Francisco Gonsalez
Date of Birth (aliases): December 12, 1969; July 16, 1969; January 12, 1969; June 13, 1969; December 26, 1969; May 16, 1969
Sex: Male
Height: 5'5"
Complexion: Dark
Tattoo: Left side of chest; similar to Chinese letters and partially removed
Place of Birth: Mexico
Social Security Account Number: 548-82-0715
Miscellaneous: Deformed right middle finger due to an injury and narrow eye lids
Prior occupations: Gardener; welder

Phalen has an extensive criminal history, to include a previous conviction for juvenile kidnapping in 1993. Phalen was paroled and deported back to Mexico in 1999.

Anyone having information pertaining to the whereabouts of Phalen and/or Andrade is encouraged to contact the FBI at 858-565-255 or Crime Stoppers at 619-235-TIPS.

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FRANCISCO JAVIER ANDRADE VEGA
Case Type :Nonfamily Abduction
DOB :jun-27-1989 Age :11 years
Height : 4' 9" - 145 cm
Weight : 61 lbs - 28 kg
Eyes :Brown Hair : Brown
Circumstances : Francisco was last seen in the company of Javier Hernandez Phalen. They were riding a bicycle in the Mexicali area of Baja California. A felony warrant was issued for Javier Phalen on September 25, 2000. Francisco's full name is Francisco Andrade Vega. He has a large scar on his right leg and a mark on his upper lip. Javier Phalen may use several alias names, including: Francisco Gonzalez, Javier Hernandez, Damian Jimenez, Montezuma Lopez, Javier Villasana and James Phalen. He has tattoos on both wrists.
Date Missing :aug-30-2000
City of Report :MEXICALI
State of Report :
Country of Report :Mexico
Case Number :895818

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

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1 Associated Companions/Suspects/Abductors/Witnesses
JAVIER HERNANDEZ PHALEN
895818
-Suspect( View Poster)
DOB:dec-16-1969
Age:31 Missing:aug-30-2000
MEXICALI , Mexico .
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

By Frances Ann Burns

Francisco Phalen Hernandez
LOS ANGELES (APBnews.com) -- Authorities on both sides of the border say a Mexican man deported last year after serving a prison term for child abduction may have returned to the United States with a missing 11-year-old Mexican boy.

Francisco Phalen Hernandez, 31, and the boy, Francisco Javier Andrade Vega, were last seen in Mexicali, Mexico, on Aug. 30, according to the Los Angeles office of the FBI. The boy's friends said he accepted an offer to go to Phalen's home.

Phalen had been living in Mexicali, a city near the border about 100 miles east of the Tijuana-San Diego area, since his release. He made a living peddling candy to construction workers during the day and to children in the evening.

Offers of Nintendo

Mexican authorities told the FBI that he befriended a group of boys and visited them every day in an alley near Francisco Javier's home.

According to witnesses, Phalen offered Francisco Javier and another child a ride on his bicycle, having told them he was going to take them to his house to give them a Nintendo video game, the FBI said in a news release.

The second boy did not accompany the two to Phalen's home. But Francisco Javier stayed on the bicycle and was last seen riding with Phalen near his Mexicali residence, the FBI said.

Francisco Javier Andrade Vega
Mexican police have failed to find the missing pair and say that Phalen may be in Southern California. The FBI and the Imperial County Sheriff's Office have joined the investigation.

The boy was born on June 27, 1989. When he vanished, he was wearing a light-colored T-shirt, denim shorts and tennis shoes.

Many aliases

Phalen has used a long list of aliases and a number of birthdays, all of them in 1969. He was actually born on Jan. 16, 1969. He is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall with a dark complexion. A partly removed tattoo on the left side of his chest resembles Chinese characters.

He has narrow eyelids and a deformed middle figure on his right hand because of an injury. He has been employed as a gardener and a welder.

Anyone with information on Phalen or the missing boy is asked to call the FBI or Crime Stoppers at (619) 235-TIPS.

Frances Ann Burns is an APBnews.com staff writer (Frances.Burns@APBnews.com).

http://www.apbnews.com/newscenter/breakingnews/2000/10/03/kidnap1003_01.html