Texas brothers plead guilty in $8M cryptocurrency kidnapping in MN

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The armed kidnapping and robbery of a family in Grant, Minn., that canceled a high school football game and saw more than $8 million in cryptocurrency being stolen resulted in guilty pleas from two Texas brothers who admitted to threatening the family at gunpoint.

Isiah Angelo Garcia, 25, and Raymond Christian Garcia, 24, both of Waller, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count each of interference with commerce by robbery. 

READ MORE: Texas brothers federally charged in $8M cryptocurrency kidnapping in MN

Armed cryptocurrency kidnapping guilty pleas 

The backstory:

According to the court records, a 911 call was received at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Sept. 19 from someone in Grant, Minn., stating that he and his family had been kidnapped and were being held hostage at gunpoint in their home. 

The complaint details that at around 7:45 a.m., a man was taking out the garbage when the armed brothers allegedly forced him back into the garage and bound his hands with zip ties. The men then woke up the man’s son and wife in the house, also binding them. 

Over the next nine hours, Raymond Garcia allegedly held the family hostage while armed with an AR-15-style rifle. Police said the upstairs bedroom door was tied shut with wire and needed to be cut in order to free them, according to the complaint. 

Meanwhile, Isiah Garcia, armed with a shotgun, allegedly forced the man to log into his cryptocurrency wallet and transfer funds to an unknown account, charges state. After learning of a separate hard drive-style cryptocurrency wallet kept at the family cabin in Jacobson, Minnesota, Isiah Garcia allegedly forced the man into the truck and drove three hours to make the additional transfer.

The U.S. Attorney's Office valued the cryptocurrency at $8 million, a figure drastically higher than the more than $72,000 cited in the county criminal complaint.

According to the county complaint, the victim believed some of his crypto account information had been leaked during a data breach. The charges note that the men were frequently on the phone with an "unknown third party who directed [them] to transfer the cryptocurrency."

What they're saying:

U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said, ""Violent schemes carried out for financial gain undermine the safety and security of our communities. When individuals resort to intimidation and force, they can expect a swift and unified law enforcement response. The guilty pleas entered today reflect our commitment to holding the defendants accountable for the choices they made."

FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson shared the following statement following the guilty plea: 

"No one should ever feel unsafe in their own home. The kinds of violence and greed displayed by Raymond and Isiah Garcia will always be aggressively investigated by the FBI and our law enforcement partners. Thanks to the seamless partnership between the FBI, Washington County Sheriff's Office, and state and local law enforcement agencies from here to Texas, these defendants will now face sentencing in federal court. Home invasions, kidnapping, and robberies carry lasting impacts on victims and our communities. We hope this conviction will bring some measure of peace to the victims of this horrendous crime."

What's next:

Officials say a sentencing date has not been set, but both men have agreed to pay more than $8 million in restitution fees and face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.