Cozumel Man Sentenced to 100 Years for Aggravated Kidnapping

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — A man has been sentenced to 100 years in prison for aggravated kidnapping, the Quintana Roo State Prosecutor’s Office announced.

Jorge Legaria Vargas was found guilty by an oral trial judge in Cozumel for the kidnapping of a man whose identity remains protected.

The crime occurred on Nov. 12, 2021, at a home in the Colonia Maravilla neighborhood. Legaria Vargas arrived with several accomplices, two of whom entered the upper floor where the victim was with his wife and young daughter.

Under threat of death, the assailants forced the family to the ground. They demanded 1 million pesos from the victim while striking him with a firearm. When the victim tried to escape, he was caught on Avenida 85 Bis and beaten further. A white Cheyenne pickup then arrived with five more individuals who participated in the kidnapping.

The victim was taken to a vegetated area near Avenidas Félix González Canto and Zamná, where he was severely beaten, lost consciousness, and was left abandoned. During the captivity, Legaria Vargas called the victim’s relative to demand ransom.

The complaint led authorities to locate and arrest the suspect, and they seized the phone used in the extortion.

In addition to the prison term, the judge imposed a significant fine and ordered payment for moral damages as part of the victim’s restitution.