TUCSON, AZ – A harrowing tale of desert abduction and cold-blooded ransom demands concluded this week with two Mexican nationals facing lengthy federal prison sentences. Olegario Lares-De La Rosa, 30, of Mexico, received 18 years, while his co-conspirator, Ivan Heriberto Borboa-Ruiz, 28, of Mexico, will spend 14 years behind bars, both convicted in connection with the kidnapping and extortion of undocumented migrants.
The ordeal began in April 2022 when Homeland Security Investigations received a desperate plea from New York. Two cousins, illegally crossing into the United States with a group of six, had been snatched in the Arizona desert by three armed men. The captors immediately demanded $16,000 for their release. The victims were subjected to brutal treatment, including physical assault – one was kicked in the head for non-compliance – and held in a makeshift prison where the door was screwed shut each night to prevent escape.
Borboa-Ruiz acted as the point man for the ransom negotiations. On April 8th, he met with undercover agents in Tucson, brazenly confirming the $16,000 payment – twice counting the cash – and signaling the victims’ release via a phone call. Lares-De La Rosa waited nearby with the two remaining hostages. As the money changed hands, Borboa-Ruiz, armed with a loaded 9mm pistol, was immediately taken into custody.
Lares-De La Rosa, however, wasn’t going down without a fight. He attempted a high-speed escape, discarding a loaded 9mm pistol out the window during the chase before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot through residential backyards. He was eventually apprehended after a desperate scramble to evade capture. The discarded weapon, along with the one carried by Borboa-Ruiz, underscores the dangerous escalation of this human smuggling operation.
Both men were convicted following a federal investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations, with crucial assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marana Police Department. Lares-De La Rosa was found guilty at trial in February 2023 of Conspiracy to Commit Hostage Taking, Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit, Transportation of Illegal Aliens and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Borboa-Ruiz pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Hostage Taking and Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
Assistant United States Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, prosecuted the case (Case Number: CR-22-0974-TUC-JGZ, Release Number: 2023-087_Lares-De La Rosa). While these sentences offer a measure of justice for the victims, they serve as a stark reminder of the brutal realities faced by those attempting to cross the border illegally and the criminals who exploit their vulnerability for profit.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Human Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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