Four individuals from New Orleans have been charged in connection with a kidnapping case. Hector Mondragon-Flores (32), also known as Fumele, Edwin Salgado-Nunez (29), Abel Garcia (48), and Jannette Ramirez (33) are facing charges of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping under federal law. In addition to these charges, Mondragon-Flores is also facing separate allegations of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. The charges were brought by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The charges come from an incident between October 1 and 2, where the defendants allegedly kidnapped a victim, held him at gunpoint, and demanded a $7,000 ransom from his father. They also tried to extort money from the victim's girlfriend and forced the victim to withdraw $400 from an ATM. The kidnapping charge carries a possible life sentence and a $250,000 fine, while the assault charge could result in up to 20 years in prison. Each count includes a $100 special assessment fee, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The indictment outlines serious charges, but U.S. Attorney Evans emphasized that the allegations must be proven in court beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. The project also focuses on building trust, supporting community-based violence prevention, and enforcing strategic priorities. The investigation involved the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Berman and Sarah Dawkins are leading the prosecution for the Eastern District of Louisiana, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
