3 charged in alleged kidnapping hoax in central Illinois

URBANA, Ill. — Two men and a woman have been charged by criminal complaint with concealing material facts related to an alleged kidnapping hoax last month, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Lewis, Central District of Illinois.

These charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the FBI's Springfield (Illinois) and Houston (Texas) Divisions, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Champaign (Illinois) Police Department, and the Champaign County (Illinois) State's Attorney's Office.

The following three individuals arrested July 25 had initial court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge David G. Bernthal in federal court in Urbana: Monica Adriana Zacatlan-Ramirez, 19, of Urbana; Eduardo Guerrero-Cortez, 25, of Texas; and Jarbey Emerson Reyes-Villalobos, 18, of Champaign, Illinois. All three remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

The affidavit filed in support of the complaint alleges that Ramirez allegedly designed a scheme with Cortez and Villalobos to perpetrate her hoax kidnapping June 11 from Market Place Mall in Champaign. The affidavit alleges that the hoax was designed to conceal Ramirez's willingness and voluntary consent to be with Cortez, and to hide Ramirez's consent from her family and current boyfriend.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson, Central District of Illinois, is prosecuting this case.

If convicted, the offense carries a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.