La Empresa member sentenced to 20 years
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A member of La Empresa was sentenced in El Paso to nearly 20 years in federal prison.
Luis Edward Castro, 28, worked for the transnational criminal organization, officials say.
According to court documents, in August 2023, Castro forcefully kidnapped a man at gunpoint from his motel room in Juarez.
He was held hostage for 13 days and his family received threatening phone calls from multiple unknown individuals demanding payment.
The victim's family paid approximately $9,000 to La Empresa for safe travel and release of the man.
Castro pleaded guilty to six charges of harboring and transporting undocumented noncitizens for financial gain, hostage taking, and the possession of a firearm with an erased serial number.
