{"id":42921,"date":"2021-06-08T22:09:11","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T05:09:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=42921"},"modified":"2021-06-09T08:15:24","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T15:15:24","slug":"three-men-arrested-for-allegedly-collecting-ransom-payments-for-kidnapping-victims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=42921","title":{"rendered":"Three Men Arrested for Allegedly Collecting Ransom Payments for Kidnapped Victims"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Law enforcement officials have arrested three men allegedly involved in a ring that kidnapped at least six people near the U.S.-Mexico border, officials stared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>They later demanded ransom for their release, and often refusing to release them after payments were made, officials stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Edgar Adrian Lemus, 23, of Vernon; Francisco Javier Hernandez Martinez, 20, also of Vernon; and Junior Almendarez Martinez, 23, of Watts, have been charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lemus and Hernandez were arrested Monday evening on a federal criminal complaint. Almendarez was arrested \u2013 also on Monday evening \u2013 on a separate complaint. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>\u00a0 According to affidavits filed with the complaints, each of the kidnapping incidents targeted victims who were waiting or attempting to cross the border from Mexico into the United States. <\/span><\/p>\n

In each incident, the kidnappers offered to assist in smuggling the victims across the border from Mexico, but instead would hold them for ransom. <\/span><\/p>\n

The kidnappers insisted on ransom payments from the victim\u2019s family members to release the victim, the affidavit states.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/a> The kidnappers allegedly used specific sections at Walmart and other stores in Southern California to meet with the family members to collect the ransom payments, according to authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the payments were made, however, the kidnappers demanded additional money rather than releasing the victim, according to the affidavit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Law enforcement has identified Lemus, Hernandez and Almendarez as individuals that either picked up or received ransom payments from the victims\u2019 family members, the affidavit alleges. <\/span><\/p>\n

Specifically, the defendants allegedly match the individuals captured on video surveillance footage during the ransom drops.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lemus allegedly picked up a $19,000 ransom payment on April 20 at a Walmart store in South Gate from the husband of a victim in Mexicali who had been promised she would be smuggled into the United States, but who had been kidnapped instead. <\/span><\/p>\n

After delivering the payment, the kidnappers allegedly refused to release the victim and demanded additional payment, officials stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the victim\u2019s husband told the kidnappers that they had made him crash his car and he was in the streets begging for more money, <\/span>they stopped calling him. <\/span><\/p>\n

The victim was released on April 22.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hernandez allegedly picked up a $15,000 ransom payment on May 26 at a Walmart in Paramount from the husband of another kidnapping victim who was being held in Mexicali. <\/span><\/p>\n

After the ransom payment was made, the kidnappers allegedly demanded an additional $16,000 because the victim purportedly broke a package believed to contain narcotics, the affidavit states. <\/span><\/p>\n

All three allegedly were seen together on May 31 at a shopping center in Pico Rivera for another ransom payment pickup.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Almendarez was observed with Lemus and Hernandez after Lemus picked up a ransom payment at a Target store in South Gate, an affidavit attached to a criminal complaint charging him alleges. <\/span><\/p>\n

From February 9 to June 2, Almendarez allegedly made 10 cash transfers \u2013 all but one sent to individuals in Mexico \u2013 totaling $14,720 at a MoneyGram store in Lynwood. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Several of the transfers were sent to a receiving MoneyGram agent in Mexicali, where the kidnappings occurred, the affidavit alleges. <\/span><\/p>\n

The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants are facing up to 20 years in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES\u00a0 Law enforcement officials have arrested three men allegedly involved in a ring that kidnapped at least six people near the U.S.-Mexico border, officials stared. 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