NEW ORLEANS, LA – Janette Ramirez, 34, has confessed to her part in a brutal kidnapping and ransom scheme that terrorized a local family. Ramirez pleaded guilty on September 25, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to interstate transmission of a ransom demand, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(a). The plea brings a key figure in the harrowing ordeal to justice, though the full scope of the criminal enterprise is still unfolding.
The nightmare began when the victim was snatched by Ramirez’s co-defendants, Hector Mondragon-Flores and Edwin Salgado-Nunez. According to court documents, the pair didn’t mince words: they bound the victim hand and foot, held him at gunpoint within the confines of Mondragon-Flores’s apartment, and promptly demanded $7,000 from the victim’s father in exchange for his safe return. Salgado-Nunez’s reign of terror was cut short when New Orleans Police Department officers intervened during the ransom exchange, arresting him after the victim’s father handed over $3,000 in cash to an associate.
But the ordeal didn’t end with Salgado-Nunez’s arrest. The kidnappers, desperate to secure the full ransom, moved the victim to Ramirez’s apartment. Mondragon-Flores then strong-armed the victim into contacting his girlfriend, attempting to solicit another payment. This is where Ramirez’s role became critical. She wasn’t holding a gun, but she was an active participant in the extortion.
Ramirez acted as a translator, relaying conversations between the victim and his girlfriend from English to Spanish for Mondragon-Flores, allowing him to monitor the negotiations. More damningly, she agreed to facilitate the financial transfer, providing her CashApp account to receive the ransom money and even sending payment requests to the victim’s girlfriend – effectively amplifying the threat and ensuring the family understood the gravity of the situation. She knowingly participated in the financial aspect of the crime, turning her account into a conduit for criminal funds.
Now, Ramirez faces a steep price for her involvement. She’s looking at up to 20 years behind bars, a potential fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release after serving her time. A mandatory special assessment fee of $100 will also be levied. While this conviction represents a win for law enforcement, the case underscores the complex web of complicity that often accompanies violent crime.
This investigation was conducted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence across the nation. The Department’s renewed focus on PSN emphasizes fostering trust within communities, supporting local organizations, prioritizing strategic enforcement, and meticulously measuring results. The FBI and the New Orleans Police Department worked jointly on the case, with Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit leading the prosecution. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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