In a chilling revelation, the Department of Justice announced that Darwin Jeovany Palma Pastrana, a 30-year-old Honduran national living illegally in New Mexico, has been charged with the kidnapping of a Guatemalan immigrant for ransom, KTLA reports. With the assistance of co-conspirators, including fellow Honduran, Eduar Isrrael Sauceda Nuñez, Palma Pastrana entrapped migrants who had crossed into the U.S., confining them in stash houses across Phoenix, El Paso, and Albuquerque. In a statement provided to KTLA, the Department of Justice detailed the case of a Guatemalan man whose release demanded a $1,500 ransom from his family.
Once in the U.S., the migrants were cut off from the outside world, having their cell phones taken and driving to undisclosed locations, often under the threat of violence. Sauceda, currently on the run and facing similar charges to Palma, was central to the scheme, which culminated in a failed ransom exchange at a Norwalk Jack in the Box parking lot. Law enforcement subsequently arrested Sauceda whilst attempting to collect another $1,500 ransom, with evidence including a significant cash sum and receipts detailing money transfers to individuals outside of the United States, the Justice Department says.
The case against the accused underscores the horrific exploitation of immigrants already vulnerable due to their undocumented status. "The exploitation of vulnerable individuals and their families will be fully investigated by the FBI and its local law enforcement partners," said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, as stated in the Justice Department press release. Law enforcement discovered an operation marred by threats of violence and ransom demands, where safety and justice were pawned for profit. Palma and Sauceda, if convicted, could potentially spend the rest of their lives in federal prison.
Following their arraignment, Palma pleaded not guilty, awaiting trial on November 5, while Sauceda remains at large, with authorities urging anyone with information to contact the FBI or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Driving a school bus with a non-resident permit, Palma was implicated near the scene of an Albuquerque stash house investigation, where gunfire was reportedly directed at officers by co-conspirators the previous day. At the stash house, officials found 57 undocumented migrants, as reported by KTLA.
