Five California men have been indicted for kidnapping undocumented immigrants and demanding ransom from their families, according to the US attorney's office.

In Southern California, four out of five men were arrested for kidnapping illegal immigrants and charging their families for their release.

The four individuals, Miguel Angel Avila, Omar Avila Salmeron, Jose Jaime Garcia, and Jose Alfredo Moreno Gonzalez, have been arrested by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California, while Gabriel Michel Becerra, also 22 years old, remains a fugitive.

On July 30, five individuals were indicted on various charges, including two counts of conspiracy to commit hostage taking and hostage taking, two counts of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping, one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, and two counts of transporting illegal aliens for private financial gain, according to the release.

Avila, Salmeron, Garcia, and Becerra have been charged with two counts of conspiring to obstruct commerce through extortion, as well as attempting to obstruct commerce through extortion, which are Hobbs Act violations.

"These defendants are accused of exploiting individuals seeking to immigrate to our country by extorting money from their families in exchange for their release," said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada of the Central District of California. "Our office will not tolerate the use of violence to intimidate others and will prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent of the law."

In July, an indictment was made public accusing Avila of kidnapping four illegal immigrants on March 21, 2023. He allegedly instructed Moreno to drive them to a Chevron gas station in Chandler, Arizona, before taking them to a restaurant in Burbank, California.

Avila, Garcia, Becerra, and Burbank allegedly held hostages in a home in Burbank. Avila is accused of using a cellphone from one of the victims and demanding ransom money from the victim's family in exchange for the victim's release.

Avila is accused of using another victim's phone to demand ransom payments split between a Mexican account and a U.S. account, in order to secure the victim's release.

Avila and Salmeron made additional demands on March 22, targeting the family of another hostage.

The three hostages were relocated to a motel room by Avila, Garcia, and Becerra, and one of the victims managed to flee through a second-story bathroom window, according to the indictment.

According to the indictment, Avila and one of his accomplices pursued the victim to a store in Koreatown, where Avila physically assaulted the victim by body-slamming him, putting him in a chokehold, and repeatedly punching him in an attempt to kidnap him again.

Avila, Garcia, and Becerra allegedly restrained two victims and a hostage after the incident, tying their hands and taking them to another house. There, they confined the hostages in a room and threatened them with violence if they tried to escape.

On March 23, the victim was driven to a gas station by Avila, Garcia, and Becerra, and was reportedly paid $11,000 by the victim's brother for his release.

""These defendants will be held accountable for exploiting migrants for financial gain," stated U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath of the Southern District of California."

The three victims were illegally smuggled into the U.S., according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California. The defendants are accused of stealing them from a different human trafficking network.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security Investigations have been contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for additional information.

The four suspects who were arrested all entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them.

While Avila and Salmeron were remanded in custody without bail, Garcia and Moreno were granted freedom on bond.

The judge did not agree with the prosecution's request to hold Garcia and Moreno, as the U.S. attorney's office had requested.

On October 1, Moreno, Garcia, and Salmeron will be tried, while Avila's trial is set for October 29.

The U.S. attorney's office is still seeking information about Becerra's location and urges anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to contact law enforcement.

Each suspect could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if found guilty of all charges.