López gets 8-years in prison and García gets 15-years and 6 months in prison for extortion after a 16-year-old male was held without his consent after a marijuana sale went awry, according to the feds.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
June 29, 2022
Laredo, Texas - The U.S. Attorney's Office of Sourhern Texas in a press release reported on June 22, 2022 that two convicted individuals have been sentenced to federal prison for aiding and abetting in the transmission of messages threatening to extort money from the mother of a 16-year-old male, U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery reported.
Hector José López, 31, pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2021, while Nancy Yvette García, 33, pleaded guilty to the federal extortion charges Oct. 14, 2021.
U.S. District Judge Marina García Marmolejo imposed a 96-month term (8 years) of imprisonment for López, while García received 188 months (15 years and 6 months) in prison. García is also currently on supervised release for a 2018 conviction for conspiracy to transport aliens, he received an additional four months, which will be served concurrently to the current offense. Both López and García must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences.
According to the federal indictments, on Jan. 26, 2021, a marijuana deal involving a 16-year-old male had gone awry. Shortly thereafter, García and another individual took him to López's apartment. García claimed they needed to keep him hostage in order to get their marijuana or money back. López held him there in exchange for $500.
At the time of his plea, López admitted he asked the victim for some of his login information stored on his phone which he then sent to García via WhatsApp.
In the early morning hours of Jan. 27, 2021, someone posted photographs to the victim's Facebook account showing visible injuries and referencing what happens to people who steal. The mother of the victim then received a message on Facebook Messenger accusing her son of stealing marijuana.
Shortly thereafter, she received a phone call from a Mexican phone number demanding $30,000 for the release of her son. Throughout the course of the day, the mother received text messages or phone calls asking about the status of the ransom and was told her son would be killed, if the demand wasn't met.
On Jan. 28, 2021, the victim managed to escape and contacted law enforcement.
López and García will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew prosecuted the case, according to the press release.
No comments:
Post a Comment