Transnational criminal organization soldier pleads guilty to kidnapping death in El Paso

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- 21-year-old Armando Leonardo Moreno (aka Cholo) pleaded guilty to kidnapping resulting in death in a federal court in El Paso this week.

Court documents state that Moreno and others conspired to kidnap a person from an El Paso stash house in September of 2021. They drove him to another house and beat him, officials say. Officers found the victim dead in Las Cruces. He had suffered multiple gunshot and stab wounds. Moreno faces up to life in prison.

Moreno had several codefendants in this case. Michelle Karen Avila was sentenced to 120 months, Ruben Pimentel to 188 months, and Alberto Rodriguez and Ricardo Matthew Gutierrez are awaiting sentencing.