Two men convicted of kidnapping, carjacking an FBI employee in South Dakota

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A federal jury in South Dakota has convicted two men on several charges related to the 2022 kidnapping of an FBI employee.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office reports that 29-year-old Deyvin Morales and 25-year-old Juan Alvarez-Soto were found guilty of kidnapping, carjacking and other counts.

The two are expected to be sentenced April 12. Both men could face up to life in prison.

Court records says the two men traveled from Colorado into South Dakota to traffic drugs. They ended up in a high speed chase with law enforcement and were hiding near Red Shirt, SD. They decided to carjack a vehicle which was being driven by an FBI victim specialist who was working on an unrelated case. He was carjacked and kidnapped at gunpoint.

The victim was able to escape during a stop at a gas station. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Peterson said during closing statements that the victim survived because of his bravery and resolution to not die.

Lawyers for the suspects questioned the evidence in the case.

January 26, 2024