El Paso Man Sentenced to 21+ Years for Deadly Kidnapping

An El Paso man has been sentenced to 262 months in prison for his role in a deadly kidnapping.

Armando Leonardo Moreno, 21, also known as ‘Cholo’, served as a soldier in a transnational criminal organization and conspired with other members to kidnap a subject from an El Paso stash house on September 13, 2021.

The victim was dragged out of a vehicle and brutally beaten in the front yard of a home before being taken inside and further assaulted. His body was later found in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with multiple gunshot and stab wounds.

Moreno’s codefendants have already been sentenced. Michelle Karen Avila received 60 months in prison, Ruben Pimentel was sentenced to 108 months, and Ricardo Matthew Gutierrez received a 135-month sentence.

Alberto Rodriguez, the fourth defendant, remains in federal custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1.

The investigation was a joint effort between Homeland Security Investigations, the El Paso Police Department, the New Mexico State Police, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Valenzuela and Ian Hanna prosecuted the case, which was part of the efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a coalition of law enforcement agencies working to combat human smuggling and other crimes along the southwest border.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, JTFA has resulted in over 295 domestic and international arrests, 230 U.S. convictions, and 170+ significant jail sentences imposed, as well as forfeitures of substantial assets.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat crime and keep communities safe.

The case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of violent crime and the importance of continued efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.