A federal grand jury has returned a five-count indictment against 11 individuals associated with a transnational Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) tied to a Mexican cartel in a drug trafficking and kidnapping conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick.
Beginning in July 2023 through January 2025, 11 defendants conspired to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, the indictment alleges. The DTO leaders arranged for large quantities of methamphetamine to be delivered from Mexico to the Twin Cities area, via the mail and driven by cars and trucks. Once delivered, the Minnesota-based defendants broke large quantities of methamphetamine down into smaller, distributable quantities and sold it to customers throughout the Twin Cities region.
The activity began coming to light in December 2024 when police received information from a confidential informant alleging Richar Sanchez Mujica was involved in drug trafficking. Mujica was already wanted on a warrant for failure to appear in court related to a prior DWI.
Police subsequently obtained a warrant to electronically track Mujica based on the drug trafficking allegations.
In January 2025, police received further information from an informant that the informant had been instructed to help torture and kill an associate of the DTO who owed them a substantial amount of money, which they could not pay, and that they were to coordinate with Mujica to accomplish the task.
On Jan. 7, law enforcement observed Mujica get into a vehicle, which they followed to Minneapolis where Mujica picked up another man and they then drove to St. Paul. A traffic stop was initiated, during which Mujica was arrested on his DWI warrant and was also in possession of methamphetamine. Police found a handgun in the vehicle where Mujica had been seen manipulating something in the vehicle. Mujica subsequently gave police permission to look at his phone, where they discovered photos of a person who appeared to be chained and handcuffed. A navigation app also listed a location on the 700 block of Payne Avenue, in St. Paul, Minn.
A statement by U.S. Attorney Kirkpatrick states that four of the co-defendants lured this individual to a location in St. Paul, where they kidnaped, beat, and chained the victim to a pole, and held the victim against their will. During the kidnaping and beating, a DTO leader instructed one of the defendants over a messaging application, “you are breaking his hands. Break them good.”
The incident led to a SWAT standoff, which just happened to be across the street from the St. Paul Police Department’s Eastern District parking lot. A 26-year-old man was rescued from the building by SWAT and was transported to an area hospital to be treated for his injuries from being assaulted by the kidnappers.
The following individuals have been indicted for the following crimes and have made their initial appearance in federal court:
• Richar Sanchez Mujica, 30, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to kidnap, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
• Donovan Rey Lopez, 21, of Minneapolis is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
• Erling Soren Holdahl, 48, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap.
• Dostin Elizander Ortiz-Garcia, 29, of Burnsville, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• Jonathan Salvador Juarez-Ferrer, 25, of Minneapolis, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• Timothy Duane Ripley, 45, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap.
• Kendra Sue Johnson, 39, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap.
Four other members of the conspiracy have not yet made their initial appearances.
“This case highlights the inherent danger that transnational drug cartels bring to our country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick. “This mob-style violence has no place in America, it has no place in Minnesota, and those who engage in it will be charged federally.”
The seven suspects named remain in federal custody at this time.
– – –
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
