Four New Orleans Residents Indicted On Federal Kidnapping Charges

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that HECTOR MONDRAGON-FLORES a/k/a Fumele, age 32, EDWIN SALGADO-NUNEZ, age 29, ABEL GARCIA, age 48, and JANNETTE RAMIREZ, age 33, were indicted on November 15, 2024, for kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1201(a)(1) and (c). Additionally, HECTOR MONDRAGON-FLORES a/k/a Fumele is charged with assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 111(a)(1) and (b), and being an alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, Untied States Code, Sections 922(g)(5) and 924(a)(8).

The kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, offenses each carry up to life in prison, up to a $250,00 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. The charge of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon carries up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The charge of being an alien in possession of a firearm carries up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each of the four counts also carries a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

According to court documents, beginning on or about October 1, 2024 through October 2, 2024, the defendants conspired to, and did, kidnap a victim and hold him for ransom. The defendants variously held the victim at gunpoint, bound his legs together and his arms together behind his back, and threatened to kill the victim if his father did not pay a $7,000 ransom. After receiving a $3,000 ransom payment from the victim's father, the defendants also attempted to extract an additional ransom payment from the victim's girlfriend. Ultimately, the defendants took the victim to an ATM where he withdrew $400 in cash in exchange for his release.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit are in charge of the prosecution.