Crime
Six Florida Men Arrested in Connection to Margaritaville Kidnapping and Torture
Six men are facing kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping charges after allegedly abducting a man from a Florida Margaritaville in May.
Saul Fajardo, 19, Justin Phihoang Le, 20, Amari Hill, 21, Anthony Hernandez, 18, Marikevies McNichols, 19, and Weilen Hernandez, 20, are accused of threatening to kill a man and his family after luring him and another man to a parked car at the Hollywood, Florida, resort, with the promise of smoking marijuana.
The unnamed man knew at least some of the suspects, Local 10 reported on Wednesday, June 10.
Once inside the vehicle, another car approached with four armed men in masks emerging, the man claimed. He recalled being slammed into the hood of the car, pistol-whipped and forced back into the vehicle. The second man was forced into a separate vehicle.
“If you try to get out, I’m going to end your life,” Le allegedly told the first man, adding, “I am going to kill you and your family,” according to a complaint viewed by Law & Crime.
The man was also allegedly ordered to call friends asking for money.
“If I don’t get my money, every ten minutes I’m going to take one of your fingernails,” Le told the victim, according to the complaint.
After arriving at a location called “The Spot,” both men were forced to the knees at gunpoint. The complaint claims that one of the men, with a racing flag tattoo, was tortured with a blowtorch as Le allegedly said, “I’m gonna burn the tattoo off of you, you don’t deserve to have it. I’m going to torture you.”
The men claimed they were stripped of their clothing and belongings, with one being ordered to send $400 via Zelle.
They were separated once again after the suspects noticed an ankle monitor and became concerned that the GPS device would give away their location, and decided to drive him home.
The alleged burn victim, fearing for his life, began faking seizures, which caused concern among the suspects. They ultimately threw him out of the vehicle, and he was able to find passersby who called the police.
Per the South Florida Sun Sentinel, all of the suspects have been arrested and are in jail awaiting their next hearings. They have not yet entered pleas.
