Mexican kidnappers crossed US border to collect ransom, left hostage tied up in trench: docs
A Los Angeles man was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint during a visit to Mexico, and the suspected captors sent his family graphic videos and a threatening photo.
Their loved one was blindfolded and tied up in a rectangular concrete trench with weapons pointed at his head, according to court documents reviewed by newsmen.
The suspects – a Mexican family – allegedly pistol whipped their victim and fired a shot near his head.
The violent confrontation was recorded and sent to his family in L.A. with ransom demands of $70,000, federal prosecutors said.
The victim, who was identified as "R.V." in court filings, was in Mexico's popular surfing destination of Playas de Rosarito in Baja California, where the suspects allegedly abducted him in 2022. Prosecutors recently shared details of the scheme after the three suspects were arrested this spring.
They were identified as Mario Alex Medina (aka "Shyboy"), his son, Jose Salud Medina (aka "Gordo"), and Mario's sister, Maria Alejandra Medina.
On Nov. 5, 2022, R.V., who has family in L.A. but has Mexican citizenship, was abducted by three members of the Medina family, federal prosecutors said.
Over the next two days, R.V.'s family received unnerving photos and videos of their loved one in captivity, including one in which R.V. was blindfolded and tied up in a concrete rectangular trench with guns pointed at his head.
On Nov. 7, 2022, R.V.'s family received a video "of hostage takers beating Victim R.V. with their fists, feet, and a hammer," the criminal complaint says.
They originally demanded a $70,000 ransom. By Nov. 10, 2022, Jose Medina, 31, allegedly threatened to kill R.V. if the family didn't immediately pay $30,000, according to the criminal complaint.
The same day, the alleged kidnappers crossed the border to collect the ransom money in San Ysidro, California, which is a short distance from Tijuana.
They met at a McDonald's, where R.V.'s family paid $30,000.
Maria Medina, 50, said they "pretty much" guaranteed R.V.'s safety before retreating back into Mexico, the federal complaint says.
Mexican law enforcement found the victim "tied up and alone in a small subterranean trench" on Nov. 11, 2022, court documents say.
The suspects evaded capture for about two years until they were arrested in March and April.
They were each indicted by a federal grand jury on April 9 on a charge of making foreign communication with intent to extort, which carries a maximum life sentence.
Maria and Mario have been in federal custody in the U.S. since March and April, respectively, according to court documents.
Jose is currently being held in a Mexican prison. He has suffered medical complications that have prevented his transport from Mexico to the U.S., court documents say.
The alleged 2022 abduction happened in the same area where an American, who was engaged to be married in August, and two Australians were killed during a botched carjacking in May.
Each suspect in R.V.'s kidnapping is represented by a different federal defender in the Central District of California.
Newsmen reached out to the lawyers for comment and more information about the timeline of the cases but didn't get an immediate response.
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