Urbana, IL – In a shocking turn of events, the masterminds behind a hoax kidnapping from a Champaign, IL mall in June 2014 have been sentenced. Monica Adriana Zacatlan Ramirez, 20, of Urbana, was ordered to serve 18 months in federal prison, while Eduardo Guerrero Cortez, 26, of Mexico, was sentenced to 10 months in prison. Both defendants have been detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since their arrests in July 2014.
The duo was found guilty of conspiracy to provide law enforcement with false statements, making false statements to law enforcement, and making false statements to a federal grand jury. Their accomplice, Jarbey Emerson Reyes Villalobos, 19, of Champaign, pled guilty on February 15, 2015, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 29.
According to court documents, Ramirez and Cortez conspired to provide law enforcement with false statements regarding the nature of Ramirez’s kidnapping from Market Place Mall in Champaign on June 11, 2014. In reality, there was no force, threat, or coercion involved in the kidnapping, and Ramirez voluntarily consented to participate in the hoax to conceal her relationship with Cortez from her family members.
As part of the scheme, Ramirez petitioned the circuit court in Champaign for an emergency order of protection against Cortez. After the court granted the order, Ramirez called Cortez and instructed him to pick her up from the mall, making it appear as though she was taken by force. Cortez then recruited Villalobos and another individual to help him kidnap Ramirez, who was armed with a knife.
The trio fled the area and traveled from Illinois to Texas, leaving a trail of confusion and concern for law enforcement. The Champaign Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations all worked together to investigate the hoax.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson. Ramirez and Cortez were ordered to pay $45,374 in restitution to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Champaign Police Department, Champaign Sheriff’s Office, and Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office for the time, resources, and expenses they spent investigating the hoax.
As the masterminds behind the mall hoax conspiracy are brought to justice, the community can rest assured that those who attempt to deceive and manipulate the system will be held accountable. The sentences handed down to Ramirez and Cortez serve as a reminder that the law will not tolerate such behavior.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Violent Crime|Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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