By Patric Hedlund

One can only guess at the family drama that led two Oregon brothers to fight over custody of their 85-year-old mother, but one of them is in the Kern County Jail as we go to press, arrested on a federal FBI charge of kidnapping.

Marshall Goldberg, 55 was seized by local deputies after a local tipster alerted them that he was at what was formerly known as the Western Village Motel in Frazier Park on Mt. Pinos Way—a motel that most mountain residents don’t even know exists. It is run now as an extension of Koko’s Motel, which is across the street.

Kern County Sheriff’s deputies got the tip at about 4 p.m. They confirmed that an FBI fugitive warrant had been recently issued for Marshall’s arrest. The FBI alleges that on May 24, 2011 he took his mother from her Ashland, Oregon home where she lived with a younger son. There were also two restraining orders against Marshall Goldberg, according to an Ashland newspaper, ordering him to stay away from his mother and the brother, Norman, 53.

The Ashland Daily Tidings reported that two months ago, May 24, Norman Goldberg went to work at his greengrocer’s job, unaware, he said, that his mother’s caregiver had cancelled in a 6 a.m. telephone call, leaving Doris Goldberg alone. According to the FBI, she has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Norman is reported as saying that when he got home, his mother was gone and he found on a surveillance video that Marshall entered the house at noon, then left with their mother. Norman Goldberg contacted law enforcement. The FBI got involved, but no trace of the two was found until Friday, July 22. Sgt. Mark Brown confirms that deputies received information about Marshall’s vehicle. At 4:15 p.m. they intercepted him in the parking lot of the motel. His mother was there, apparently in good health, but deputies determined she was unable to care for herself. “They placed a mental health evaluation hold on her for her protection. She was transported to Kern Medical Center via ambulance for medical evaluation,” according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office report.

Marshall Goldberg was arrested and taken to Kern County Jail. He faces charges [of] kidnapping, custodial interference and contempt of court charges out of Jackson County, Oregon for taking his mother from her Ashland home. It is expected that Jackson County officials will arrange for his extradition and transfer back to Oregon to face trial.

News of this event was first issued by the Portland, Oregon divison of the FBI.

Norman Goldberg has given several interviews accusing his brother of having “an anger problem,” and saying that the family finds him “difficult to deal with.” We are seeking a statement from Marshall Goldberg. No comment has been made by Norman about how often his disoriented mother had been left alone at home without a caregiver before May 24.

This is part of the July 29, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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