Rami Saba sentenced in Dietz case

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - One of two men convicted in the disappearance of Donald Dietz was sentenced in federal court Wednesday.

Rami Saba will spend nearly 32 and a half years in prison after being convicted in June of 11 federal charges including conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Another man, Raogo Ouedraogo, was convicted in March of kidnapping resulting in death and conspiracy to kidnap. His sentencing is scheduled for November.

Saba and Ouedraogo were convicted of trying to steal Dietz' identity to get $443,000. Dietz' body has never been found and he is presumed dead.

US prosecuting attorneys argued for a life sentence for Saba. But US District Judge Janet Neff said there was not enough evidence. She said there were still questions about what happened after Dietz went missing in September 2007, including how he died.

The 66-year-old was known as the Bicycle Man because he regularly rode around his hometown of Saranac.

In December 2007, federal authorities searched Saba's home, and he was arrested at that time on fraud charges. He was later released on bond.

While driving to a court hearing in June 2008, Saba crashed his Chevrolet Blazer into a truck on Alden Nash Road. He recovered, but the nature of his injuries delayed the case and trial.

Dietz' family told 24 Hour News 8 they are content with Wednesday's ruling, but it still doesn't answer the key question:

"Not knowing where our brother's body is," said Cheryl McIntire.