Two Honduran nationals, Darwin Jeovany Palma Pastrana and Eduar Isrrael Sauceda Nuñez, have been charged with conspiring to kidnap a Guatemalan man who illegally entered the U.S. The two men, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, allegedly targeted migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, driving them to stash houses in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Once in the U.S., their phones were seized, and ransom demands were made to their families in California.
Palma, who was arrested, faces charges including conspiracy, kidnapping, and making threats by interstate communication. Sauceda, who remains at large, is also facing charges related to conspiracy, kidnapping, and transportation of aliens for financial gain. Both face a potential life sentence in federal prison if convicted.
The men recruited others to participate in the scheme, misleading migrants and their families through false reunions. The indictment revealed that the victim was ordered to pay $1,500 and then was locked in a vehicle until the ransom was paid. Sauceda was arrested while attempting to collect the payment and had cash and money transfer receipts in his possession.
The case highlights the rise of “virtual kidnapping extortion” targeting immigrants in the U.S., a scam in which perpetrators exploit vulnerable individuals and their families for financial gain. The FBI has been actively investigating such cases, urging anyone targeted to report it regardless of their immigration status. The agency treats every case as a potential real kidnapping and works to hold those responsible accountable.
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