Semaj Ayers, Kidnapping, Michigan 2025

Defendant Sentenced for Kidnapping in Detroit

A 23-year-old Detroit man was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison for his role in a kidnapping conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge James M. Deir of the ATF in Michigan.

Semaj Ayers entered a guilty plea to kidnapping on March 18, 2025. He is one of six individuals who have been convicted in connection with the case, which involved the kidnapping and beating of a victim who was taken from Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit.

During the trial, the government presented evidence that the defendants, including Ayers, worked together to kidnap and beat the victim, who was wrongly believed to have been involved in a carjacking. The kidnappers took the victim to an empty lot in Detroit, where they beat them, and then to a residence controlled by Cortez Blake, where the victim was held at gunpoint and beaten intermittently for hours.

Ayers was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison, while fellow defendant Cortez Blake was convicted of kidnapping at trial. Maijah Greene pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap, and Shatonnia Kimbrough, Armond Williams, and Nasir Lewis also pleaded guilty to kidnapping. Karamoh Turner was acquitted at trial.

The United States Attorney’s Office and the ATF are focused on prosecuting individuals who use firearms to commit violent acts against people in the Eastern District of Michigan. The case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which aims to reduce violent crime in the region.

Ayers’ sentence brings the total number of defendants convicted in the case to six, with two additional individuals convicted of carjacking and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Jamar Lee-Stinson was sentenced to 141 months in prison, and Amiaya Bryant was sentenced to 120 months in prison.

The sentences in this case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement to hold accountable those who engage in violent crime, said U.S. Attorney Gorgon. The ATF is relentless in its pursuit of those who use firearms to commit crimes, said Special Agent in Charge Deir.

Mandatory Facts:

• Defendant/Respondent: Semaj Ayers
• Criminal Charges: Kidnapping
• City and State: Detroit, Michigan
• Exact Date: March 18, 2025 (sentencing)
• Sentence or Outcome: 110 months in federal prison

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