Jason Rivera, Kidnapping, Pennsylvania 2024

A man from Queens, New York, has been found guilty of kidnapping and extortion charges related to a violent gang’s plot to collect a substantial drug debt from three marijuana dealers in 2014.

Jason Rivera, 37, was convicted of kidnapping and extortion charges arising from his involvement with the ‘Born To Kill’ (BTK) gang. The gang paid Rivera and his associates to collect the debt, which resulted in the murder of two brothers and the attempted murder of a third.

The victims were lured to a home in southwest Philadelphia, where Rivera and his co-conspirators assaulted them and restrained them with duct tape and zip ties. They were then kidnapped and transported to the Schuylkill River, where they were stabbed and dumped into the water.

Two of the victims died in the river, while the third managed to crawl out and flag down a passing motorist for assistance. The incident made national news and sparked a lengthy investigation by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.

Rivera was paid several thousand dollars for his role in the crime, along with his co-conspirators. Five other defendants were federally indicted in connection with the crime and have all pleaded guilty to similar charges. Tam Le, a member of the BTK gang, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death.

U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero praised the efforts of the FBI and other law enforcement partners in bringing Rivera to justice. ‘After the initial investigation and arrests were made, the trail on the other individuals who helped them went nearly cold,’ Romero said. ‘But thanks to the persistent efforts and dogged determination of the FBI and other law enforcement partners, our Office was able to charge these remaining individuals, get them off the streets, and bring them to justice for their crimes.’

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Livermore. The FBI is still searching for Trung Lu, who has been charged in connection with the crime but remains at large in Vietnam. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information leading to Lu’s arrest.

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