A brother and sister duo from Rosarito, Mexico, have been convicted of kidnapping and extortion charges by a jury today, after a crime that straddled international borders and terrorized a victim and his family. The pair, Mario Alex Medina, known as "Shyboy," and María Alejandra Medina, were found guilty of conspiring to commit hostage taking and to extract a ransom payment, with Mario Medina also facing additional charges for his role in making extortionate demands.
According to a U.S. Department of Justice release, the Medinas crafted a plan that had Mario Medina to falsely act as a mediator to seemingly aid the victim's family, while his sister and son crossed the border to illegally obtain the ransom money. The ordeal began on November 5, 2022, when Mario Medina coordinated a violent abduction of the victim from his home, marked by gunpoint threats and physical brutality.
The family of the victim, known in court documents as "R.V.," was contacted the following day with a $70,000 demand for his safe release, a figure later negotiated down to $30,000. The exchange took place at a San Ysidro McDonald's on November 10, with José and María Medina reportedly responsible for collecting the ransom and transporting it back to Mexico. However, the kidnappers failed to uphold their end of the twisted bargain, leaving R.V. tied up in a trench, where he was later discovered by Mexican law enforcement officers.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada characterized the defendants' crime with an undeniable undertone of severity, stating, "These defendants subjected their victim and his family to a terrifying ordeal in order to illegally profit. Such callous disregard for others and cavalier use of violence cannot and will not be tolerated." As the United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson sets a sentencing hearing for February 3, 2025, Mario and María Medina face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment for their calculated criminal tactics.
The case, investigated by the FBI, will lead to further trials, with José Medina currently in Mexican custody awaiting his day in court on related charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe, Derek R. Flores, and Michael J. Morse are leading the prosecution, intent on delivering justice rooted in the rule of law across the criminal landscape blighted by gun violence and extortion.
