Man sentenced to 10 years in prison for abducting woman from Katy home, holding her captive for 3 days

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HOUSTON – A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for admitting to his role in the violent kidnapping of a woman from her home in Katy, US Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery announced Thursday.

Hipolito Gutierrez pleaded guilty on Nov. 26, 2019. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, which will be followed by five years of supervised release.

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During Gutierrez’s hearing, the court heard details of the violent abduction in which authorities said Gutierrez and Nico Namitle-Morales kidnapped a woman at gunpoint from her vehicle as she drove into her garage. Then, authorities said the duo transported the woman to Dallas and held her captive for three days while demanding ransom money.

Gutierrez was the last man to be sentenced for his role in the abduction.

In December 2021, Namitle-Morales was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role as the main gunman and the mastermind behind the kidnapping, officials said.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Texarkana Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Peneguy prosecuted the case.


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