Three men have been charged in connection with an alleged kidnapping involving interstate transportation.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York,
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said the office “will work tirelessly to keep New Yorkers safe,” adding that “a victim should not have to fear being forced across state lines by violent kidnappers.”
U.S. Department of Justice
Crime trends and federal context
According to the NYPD CompStat Unit, a report covering Midtown South from Sept. 7 through Sept. 13, 2026, listed 1,944 total complaints year to date, down 12.12% from 2,212 during the same period in 2025. Robbery complaints fell 29.8%, from 238 to 167.
Nationally, the U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that trials occurred in more than 10% of federal kidnapping cases in fiscal year 2023. As general federal context—not a prediction for this case—the commission also reported that courts imposed prison-only sentences in 89.8% of all federal criminal cases that year.
Prosecutors allege that the victim was transported across state lines.
The indictment includes federal kidnapping and conspiracy counts.
Two in Custody, One Still Missing
Fetiere and Meles were arrested the same morning the indictment was unsealed and were scheduled for presentation before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron, with the case assigned to U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl. Amanuel, a New York City resident, remained at large as of Tuesday, while Fetiere and Meles both reside in New Jersey.
The federal case remains pending.
A Joint Investigation Across State Lines
The investigation was carried out jointly by the FBI/NYPD Violent Crime Task Force, working alongside local law enforcement partners including the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey. That cross-border coordination allowed investigators to identify suspects tied to the case in both New York and New Jersey.
McDonald is the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Nightlife Safety Remains a Focus
The case occurred amid year-to-date declines in reported Midtown South complaints and robbery complaints compared with 2025, according to NYPD data discussed below.
The case remains pending as the federal charges proceed.
