Joel Ramon Garcia, Kidnapping, New Jersey 2026

State: New Jersey
Category: Violent Crime
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/dominican-national-admits-role-kidnapping" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

Grimy Times Exclusive: Joel Ramon Garcia, a 33-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic, has pleaded guilty to kidnapping charges in a Paterson, New Jersey, case, Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

According to court documents and statements made in Newark federal court, Garcia and an accomplice kidnapped two victims at gunpoint on November 15, 2023, and then drove them to Massachusetts, where they held them for ransom. The kidnappers contacted the father of one of the victims and threatened to cut off the victim’s fingers if the ransom was not paid.

The victims were eventually released on November 17, 2023. Garcia pleaded guilty on September 9, 2025, and is set to be sentenced on January 20, 2026. The kidnapping charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Acting U.S. Attorney Habba credited the FBI’s New Jersey field office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with leading the investigation. She also thanked members of the FBI’s Boston field office, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, the Clifton Police Department, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Cedar Grove Police Department for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Maloy and Carolyn Silane. Defense counsel for Garcia is Michael Rubas, Esq.

Garcia’s guilty plea marks a significant development in the case, which has been under investigation since the kidnapping occurred. The community can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that justice is being served.

For more information, please contact Grimy Times at [insert contact information].

Related Federal Cases