A New Mexico man was sentenced to 90 months in prison after pleading guilty in federal court on Sept. 22, 2021, to conspiracy to take a hostage and two counts of hostage-taking.
In his plea agreement, Ricardo Arce, III, admitted to conspiring with his co-defendants, Jonathan Matthew Gonzalez and Vicki Sowell, to take two foreign nationals’ hostage.
Gonzalez transported the hostages to Arce’s residence in Chaparral, took their phones and wallets, and told them they were not allowed to leave unless their families paid money to secure their release. While held against their will, Gonzalez assaulted both of the hostages.
Arce recorded videos of Gonzalez assaulting one of the hostages while Sowell turned up music to cover the sounds of the beating. Gonzalez sent the videos to the hostage’s family along with a demand for money. Gonzalez threatened to kill the hostages if they did not pay the ransom.
Family and friends of the hostages paid nearly $20,000 in an attempt to secure their release. Gonzales paid Arce and Sowell to house and watch the hostages.
Upon his release from prison, Arce will be subject to 5 years of supervised release.
Gonzalez pled guilty to conspiracy to take a hostage and two counts of hostage-taking on March 18, 2022, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Sowell was convicted of conspiracy to take a hostage and two counts of hostage-taking and sentenced to 32 months in prison.
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