NEWARK, N.J. – Luis Figueroa, 42, of the Bronx, New York, is headed for a very long stretch behind bars. The career criminal was sentenced to 516 months – 43 years – in federal prison for a horrifying, multi-state rampage of violence that included kidnapping, sexual assault, arson, and attacks on both civilians and federal officers. The sentence was handed down today by U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez.
The crime spree began on June 6, 2014, in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Figueroa, armed with a shotgun, ambushed his former girlfriend outside her apartment, immediately striking her in the face and threatening her life. The assault quickly escalated, pulling in her sister, who was eight months pregnant, and a terrifying scene unfolded as Figueroa physically attacked both women while a young child was hidden in a bedroom to shield them from the violence. He forced the ex-girlfriend into a red SUV and drove her across state lines into New Jersey.
The true depravity of Figueroa’s actions emerged when he stopped at the Kittatinny Point Visitor’s Center, located on federal property. There, he sexually assaulted his former girlfriend. Later, after she escaped and fled in the SUV, Figueroa turned his rage toward a National Park Service employee. He cornered the employee, slammed their head against a door, and threatened further harm in a desperate attempt to reclaim his victim and continue his reign of terror.
But Figueroa wasn’t finished. After failing to locate his ex-girlfriend, he turned his attention to a used car dealership, setting fire to the office. The blaze, investigators confirmed, was a deliberate act of arson intended to further his pattern of destruction and intimidation. Before his eventual capture, Figueroa also rammed multiple police vehicles, putting the lives of responding officers and the public at risk.
“Figueroa is a danger to the public,” stated U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. “Fueled with anger, he kidnapped, assaulted and raped her. Along the way, he assaulted a federal employee, stole his car, burned down a car dealership office and endangered law enforcement officers and members of the public who were in his way.” Figueroa was convicted in May 2022 of kidnapping; criminal sexual abuse; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and assaulting an employee of the United States, after a two-week trial. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and arson.
Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), emphasized the severity of Figueroa’s actions. “Figueroa was undoubtedly a clear and present danger to the community,” Miller said. “This sentence reflects ATF’s commitment to hold violent offenders accountable.” The case was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, and local and state law enforcement agencies, bringing a dangerous criminal to justice after years of legal proceedings.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
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