Dallas Man Sentenced to 324 Months for Role in Violent Kidnapping Attempt, Shooting at Ennis Police Officer During High Speed Pursuit

U.S. Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Texas
3 March 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DALLAS — Jose Cardenas Aguirre, 25, of Dallas, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 324 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in October 2016 to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Aguirre is a Mexican citizen and was in the United States illegally at the time of the offense. Aguirre will be deported after serving his sentence.

Co-defendants Melissa Trevino, 23, Javier Martinez, 24, Maria Guadalupe Bello, 22, and Indolfo Martinez, 47, who is Javier Martinez’s father, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the kidnapping, cocaine and heroin distribution, and/or firearm offenses in a case related to the attempted kidnapping of an individual because of an unpaid drug debt and are awaiting sentencing.

One remaining defendant charged in the case, Jonathan Benitez, remains a fugitive.

According to plea documents filed in the case, on July 12, 2016, Javier Martinez, along with co-defendants Jose Cardenas Aguirre and Melissa Trevino, planned to kidnap another individual because of an $800 unpaid drug debt involving cocaine. Prior to the planned kidnapping, Javier Martinez and Aguirre purchased rubber gloves, zip ties, and duct tape from Walmart. They wore ballistic vests and black camouflage clothing. In the attempt to kidnap the victim, Martinez and Cardenas Aguirre filed numerous shot into a home in Ennis. The kidnapping was ultimately unsuccessful, and as Javier Martinez, Aguirre, and Trevino fled the scene, they were engaged in a high-speed chase with officers with the Ennis Police Department. During this pursuit, Javier Martinez, using an AR-15 style rifle, fired numerous shots at a police officer. After their car was disabled, Martinez, Cardenas-Aguirre, and Trevino fled from police on foot. Cardenas Aguirre and Trevino were arrested following an eight-hour search. Martinez was apprehended several weeks later.

The case was investigated by the Ennis Police Department and the FBI’s Violent Gang Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl prosecuted.