Subjects allegedly kidnapped two women, demanded ransom, instigated shootout in Virginia
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — An investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Harrisonburg resulted in a federal indictment for two Texas residents, which charged them with federal conspiracy and kidnapping charges stemming from a January of 2023 fatal shooting in Charlottesville.
The federal grand jury returned an indictment on Aug. 28 charging Ricardo Franco-Ordaz, 26, of Cedar Creek, Texas, and Jordan Joseph Perez, 20, of Lockhart, Texas, with conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to transport an alien resulting in death, transporting an alien resulting in death, and conspiracy to receive money in connection with a kidnapping.
HSI Harrisonburg and HSI Austin, Texas, executed a federal search warrant Sept. 5, in Cedar Creek, Texas, subsequently arresting Franco-Ordaz and Perez pursuant to their outstanding federal arrest warrants.
“Franco-Ordaz and Perez will have their day in court, but they stand accused of some horrible crimes that not only traumatized two victims and their families, but also resulted in the death of an accomplice,” said HSI Washington, D.C. Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon. “Our agents consider the safety and security of our residents our top priority. We will continue to aggressively investigate and apprehend anyone who attempts to victimize our Virginia communities.”
According to the HSI Harrisonburg investigation, in early January 2023, Franco-Ordaz, Perez and other co-conspirators made plans to kidnap multiple victims for ransom. They arranged to pick up two victims from an area near the U.S.-Mexico border and bring them to a house near Austin, Texas, where they planned to demand cash from the victims’ family and friends to guarantee their victims’ release.
While executing their kidnapping and extortion scheme, they held both victims against their will and under armed guard, then called and messaged the victims’ family and friends demanding cash in exchange for their release. Franco-Ordaz exchanged one of the victims in Texas for $5,000 cash, and on Jan. 8, 2023, Perez and another co-conspirator transported a second victim to Charlottesville, where they arranged to exchange that victim for $10,000 in cash. However, when the exchange was set to occur, it was revealed that the full $10,000 was unavailable. Subsequently, an argument and shootout arose that resulted in the death of one of the kidnappers.
HSI Harrisonburg is conducting this investigation with significant assistance from the Charlottesville Police Department, the Albemarle County (Virginia) Police Department and HSI Austin. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.
The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multiagency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Anyone with information regarding such crimes against members of our community is encouraged to call the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP.
Learn more about HSI’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSI_DC.