U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentencing of Final Defendant in 2018 Espanola Kidnapping and Murder Case
ALBUQUERQUE – An Espanola man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison his part in the kidnapping, torture and murder a woman over an alleged $400 debit card theft.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Jane Doe used Crystal Ramos's debit card to withdraw $400 without permission. Ramos, who is now deceased, enlisted Jorge Dominguez, Luis Mariscal-Lopez and another individual to assist in a plot against the victim.
On January 14, 2018, the conspirators lured Jane Doe to a house in Espanola under the pretense of socializing and using drugs. Upon arrival, the victim was violently assaulted and tortured her using various objects, including firearms and power tools until Jane Doe succumbed to her injuries.
Following the murder, the conspirators attempted to conceal their crimes with the help of Johnny Black by cleaning the crime scene, transporting the body to a remote location, burning the remains and evidence in fire pits, and eventually buried the victim’s remains in a shallow grave.
The victim's remains were eventually located. Forensic evidence collected at the burn site implicated the defendants in attempts to destroy evidence.
Johnny Black pleaded guilty to federal firearms offenses and being an accessory after the fact and was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison.
Mariscal-Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping and was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Crystal Ramos died in a shootout with police in Colorado on June 14, 2018.
Upon his release from prison, Dominguez will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Espanola Police Department, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Bureaus of Indian Affairs, and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Marshall and Caitlin L. Dillon are prosecuting the case.
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