Police arrest fourth suspect in kidnapping, torture of 20-year-old man
A traffic stop in El Paso’s Lower Valley led to the arrest of a teenager wanted on a charge of Aggravated Kidnapping.
Police said officers pulled over the driver of a Mitsubishi sedan on the 200 block of Gonzalez because the vehicle had defective equipment.
The traffic stop was made shortly after 1 am, police said. An investigation revealed the front passenger, 17-year-old Jazmine April Leal, had an outstanding warrant in connection with the kidnapping of a 20-year-old man.
Leal was arrested and booked into the county jail on a $20,000 bond.
Earlier this month, detectives with the Crimes Against Persons Unit arrested three suspects in connection with the kidnapping and assault of the 20-year-old man.
24-year old Belinda Meraz, 20-year old Josue Argenis Marinelarena and 26-year-old Angela Berenice Acosta are charged with Aggravated Kidnapping.
Angela Berenice Acosta (left), Josue Argenis Marinelarena (middle), Belinda Meraz (right)
Court documents obtained by ABC-7 state that on February 11, 2017, Leal sent the victim text messages and lured him to a park. While there, the three other suspects allegedly forced the man into a vehicle and took him to a residence in the 3800 block of Trowbridge.
While being held captive, the victim was allegedly hit on the head with a handgun, burned and cut and with a knife, and burned with cigarettes, court documents state. A cut on the victim’s back required stitches, police said.
Meraz allegedly recorded footage of the alleged torture, documents further state.
Police said the victim, released after being assaulted, reported the kidnapping to investigators.
Investigators and SWAT team officers arrested the suspects Friday, March 10, 2017.
All three were booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on bonds of $20,000 each.
