PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – Mario Espino, a 25-year-old from Holiday, Florida, has pleaded guilty to kidnapping, drug possession with intent to distribute, and firearm charges. He faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life in federal prison.
His sentencing is scheduled for October 31st.
Espino’s crimes included kidnapping a rival drug dealer under the false pretense of paying a debt. Espino and his accomplices, Jacob James Guest and Joey Lawrence Eugene Young, violently assaulted the victim and demanded a ransom of 10 kilograms of fentanyl.
Read: 12 From Florida, South Carolina, And Puerto Rico Indicted On Drug, Murder, And Fraud Charges
During the kidnapping, one of Espino’s methamphetamine suppliers, Jacob Paul Arjona, delivered 22 kilograms of methamphetamine to the residence where the victim was being held.
Law enforcement agents eventually rescued the victim and arrested Espino. In the car where the victim was found, agents discovered the methamphetamine, 154 grams of fentanyl, a firearm, and a pillowcase that had been placed over the victim’s head.
Read: Lawsuit Alleges Florida Jail Negligence In Transgender Woman’s Fentanyl Death
Prior to the kidnapping, Espino had also been involved in other drug trafficking activities, including attempts to bring large quantities of methamphetamine from Arizona and Georgia to Florida. These shipments were intercepted by law enforcement.
Espino’s accomplices, Guest, Young, and Arjona, have been charged and are awaiting trial.
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