United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Marco Uribe, age 25, of Sioux City, Iowa appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on May 9, 2013 and pled guilty to the Superseding Indictment that charged him with Kidnapping and Brandishing a Firearm During, in Relation to, or in Furthermore of a Crime of Violence.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is any term of years, up to life, of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both; 5 years of supervised release and an additional 5 years of supervised release upon revocation. Restitution and a $100 special assessment on each count to the Federal Crime Victims Fund may also be ordered.
The charges stem from an incident in late December 2011, wherein a trailer in Mobridge was burglarized and a large quantity of cocaine and methamphetamine and several thousand dollars in cash was stolen. Marco Uribe and others kidnapped several “suspects" and took them to another location. Once there, the victims were assaulted with shod feet and hit with firearms. Uribe stuck his gun in one victim’s mouth while questioning him about the stolen drugs and cash. The victims denied knowing anything about the thefts. The real burglars were later apprehended.
The investigation was conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich is prosecuting the case.
Uribe was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending sentencing which has been set for Aug. 12, 2013.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
