Jury convicts woman who kidnapped victim who “brought shame to Muslim community”
A federal jury Friday convicted 36-year-old Norma Juarez Taha on federal kidnapping charges.
Court documents obtained by ABC-7 state Taha drugged and kidnapped a 20-year-old Muslim woman in El Paso on February 13, 2017.
Taha, who described herself as a “Mexican Muslim,” allegedly kidnapped the woman because the victim “brought shame to the Muslim community and should return to Libya,” court documents obtained by ABC-7 state.
The jury convicted Taha on one count of kidnapping and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, federal officials said.
Evidence presented during trial revealed Taha, known to her victim as Sister Norma, went into the victim’s house at approximately 3:30 A.M. and lured the victim out of the house by telling her that her family was in danger and that immigration authorities were attempting to deport them.
Taha drove the victim to a remote residence in Far East El Paso that belonged to Taha’s mother. The victim, who told investigators Taha was in possession of a firearm, also said Taha placed her inside a truck and injected her with a mixture of drugs.
Taha’s mother drove the victim across the border to a residence in Juarez, where they left the victim at that residence and never returned. At approximately 10:30 P.M. on February 13, 2017, two individuals at the residence transported the victim to the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. The victim was then transported to an El Paso hospital where she received medical attention.
During a search of the defendant’s vehicle and residence, authorities discovered the firearm possessed by Taha, as well as the medication used by Taha to inject the victim during the kidnapping.
FBI agents eventually arrested Taha, who allegedly said she was doing the victim a favor by taking her to Mexico. Taha later admitted she had gone to the victim’s residence and fabricated a story about the victim’s family being in danger in order to trick the victim into leaving with her.
Court documents state Taha admitted to injecting the victim with a mixture of muscle-relaxing pills and water. She allegedly did this to keep the victim calm.
Taha faces up to life in federal prison on the kidnapping charge and a minimum of five years in federal prison on the firearms charge. She remains in federal custody pending sentencing scheduled for May 22, 2018.
