Three men have been convicted following a chilling episode of kidnapping and torture that began in Astoria, Queens, and played out across state lines. The verdict was delivered after a three-week trial in Brooklyn federal court, convicting Lesly Valentin, Aasim Boone, and Jarrett Bruce, also known as "Inf," "Infinite," and "Infamous," of a spate of serious charges, including kidnapping conspiracy and transmission of interstate threats with intent to extort. United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner oversaw the trial, and the sentencing is pending, where they face the possibility of life imprisonment, as per the Department of Justice.
According to a press release from the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr., of the Eastern District of New York, detailed the brutality of the crime. He stated, "This was a heinous crime in which the defendants targeted a victim, abducted him from outside of his home, and subjected him to barbaric acts of torture and cruelty, all for financial gain." The perpetrators not only engaged in physical violence but also tried to cover their tracks by destroying evidence once they realized their actions were uncovered.
The trial exposed the extent of the cruelty inflicted upon the victim, who was forcefully kidnapped on December 9, 2022. The victim, who has not been named for safety and privacy reasons, was ambushed outside his Queens apartment and taken at gunpoint into a vehicle. From there, Valentin, Boone, and Bruce transported him to New Jersey, where they viciously tortured the man over nearly five hours, employing methods including gunshot beatings, bleach, a blowtorch, and a knife-directed ear cutting. The trio later dropped the victim on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and further intimidation followed with demands for $150,000 in cash and 50 pounds of marijuana.
The investigation was a combined effort by the FBI's New York Field Office and the New York City Police Department's Joint Violent Crimes Task Force. Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI, commended their work in helping to bring the defendants to account. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua B. Dugan, Lorena Michelen, and Andrew Wang with Paralegal Specialist Wesley Roberts providing assistance. The Department of Justice notes, that after the kidnapping, Boone's attempts to destroy electronic evidence were in vain as their criminal intentions had already been made clear.
