Stephanie Miranda Neace, 32, of Blairsville, Georgia, was today sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for the chilling 2023 kidnapping and robbery of a 71-year-old woman in North Carolina. The sentence was announced by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
In April, Neace’s co-defendant, Jordan Nathaniel Hedden, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for his role in the harrowing crime.
The evidence against Neace was compelling. On November 30, 2023, the elderly victim, while driving from Georgia to North Carolina, offered a ride to Neace and Hedden as it was cold outside. The trio soon found themselves on a treacherous journey when Hedden ordered the victim to drive to his car. Instead of a car, they arrived at an empty location where Hedden forced the victim into the back seat of her vehicle.
Hedden became increasingly paranoid and agitated, searching both the car and the victim for tracking devices. The victim was coerced into withdrawing money from an ATM, with Hedden demanding $2 but receiving only that amount. Fearing for her life, the victim convinced Hedden to let her stay safe at a gas station, during which she managed to escape by running toward help.
Neace will remain in federal custody pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI for their tireless investigation in this case.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast and Alexis Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville.
RELATED: Elderly Woman Kidnapped, Robbed: GA Woman Gets 7 Years
RELATED: Georgia Woman Gets 15 Months for Prison Meth Smuggle
Related Federal Cases
- Georgia Man Admits to $Millions Medicaid Fraud · North Carolina
- Georgia Meth Kingpin Gets Decade in NC · North Carolina
- 62-Year-Old Georgia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking · North Carolina
- Kidnapping Plot Foiled, Woman Found Guilty · North Carolina
- NY AGs Crack Down on 37 Robocall Gatekeepers · Indiana
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Public Corruption|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
