MONROE, LA. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Louisiana, Western), published as received.
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that two Texans were sentenced on Monday to 150 months in prison for kidnapping an Arkansas man and lying to FBI special agents.
Aldo Cantu, 21, and Anthony Segura, 22, both of Lufkin, Texas, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James for one count of kidnapping and one count of lying to an FBI special agent. They were also sentenced to five years of supervised release.
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea hearings, the victim was taken by the defendants with the intent to drive him to Texas at gunpoint from his home in Pine Bluff, Ark., on November 16, 2014. The defendants drove the victim to a motel room in Pine Bluff. Thereafter, Cantu and Segura placed the victim in a car. The victim escaped and reported his kidnapping when the car stopped at a service station in Lake Providence, La. East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded. Cantu and Segura were arrested and two firearms used during the kidnapping were seized. Each defendant was interviewed by FBI special agents and lied by saying they had not traveled to Arkansas that night and did not participate in the kidnapping.
“These defendants put the life of the victim in danger and lied to federal agents about their involvement,” Finley stated. “Taking someone against their will at gunpoint is a crime that is prosecutable and has serious consequences. We will continue to prosecute those who ignore the rights of others and lie to agents who are trying to enforce the law. ”
The FBI conducted this investigation with the assistance from the East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce firearm crimes by removing dangerous and persistent felons from the community and promote firearm safety.
