EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A member from “La Empresa” was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison on Thursday, Feb. 20 for his role in a hostage-taking conspiracy, according to the United States Attorney’s Office from the Western District of Texas.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says a man was kidnapped at gunpoint from his motel room on Aug. 24, 2023, in Juarez and was held hostage until Sept. 5, 2023.
During that time, the victim’s family received threatening phone calls from multiple people demanding payment. The family ended up paying around $9,000 to the transnational criminal organization for the release of the victim, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Luis Edward Castro, 28, worked for the transnational criminal organization also known as “La Empresa.” Castro recorded the victim and sent proof-of-life videos to the victim’s family. Castro was also armed with a handgun, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In the videos, the victim was visibly scared and stated that he was in El Paso. An investigation led law enforcement to Castro’s address, where they searched the residence and found six undocumented migrants and multiple firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Castro was arrested on Sept. 5, 2023, and charged with six counts of harboring and transporting undocumented noncitizens for financial gain, hostage-taking, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He pleaded guilty to the hostage-taking charge on Sept. 26, 2024.
The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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