Man Sentenced for Holding Three Migrants Hostage at Escondido Home

One of two brothers who kidnapped a trio of migrants and held them for ransom at an Escondido home was sentenced this week to nearly six years in federal prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Virves Pablo-Francisco, 22, and his 20-year-old brother Nicolas Pablo-Francisco held a 16-year-old Afghan boy, as well as a 41-year-old father and his 19-year-old son from Ecuador, hostage and demanded thousands of dollars from their families.

The siblings demanded between $4,000 and $10,000 for each person’s release, according to court documents.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges Virves Pablo-Francisco specifically didn’t provide food to the Ecuadorian father and son “and told them they were required to pay extra if they wanted to eat.”

Prosecutors said the abductions came to light on June 13 of last year, when the 16-year-old boy’s family in the United States was contacted by his kidnappers.

The family reached out to law enforcement and, according to a probable cause statement filed in federal court last year, investigators obtained cell phone records for a phone the kidnappers used to call the family.

Records showed Nicolas Pablo-Francisco was the phone’s user, with a listed address in Escondido, according to the statement. Virves Pablo-Francisco was listed as the billing party for the account.

On June 14, agents searched the home listed on the phone’s account and found all three kidnapping victims, court documents state. Nicolas Pablo- Francisco was arrested at the home, while Virves Pablo-Francisco was arrested at a later time.

Both brothers pleaded guilty to federal charges earlier this year. Virves Pablo-Francisco was sentenced Monday to 70 months in prison, while his brother awaits sentencing later this month.

–City News Service