Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
WASHINGTON – Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, 29, a Venezuelan national, was found guilty on December 11 in the District of Columbia for the 2022 armed hostage-takings of three Americans in the Dominican Republic.
The conviction was announced by U.S Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office.
A jury in U.S. District Court convicted Rodriguez Delgado yesterday of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and three counts of hostage-taking. Chief U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Apr. 12, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, Rodriguez Delgado, also known as “Sebastian,” kidnapped the men in separate instances between July 5 and July 30, 2022. In all three instances, Rodriguez Delgado stopped to let an accomplice into the backseat of his car following a short drive, at which point they held each victim at knifepoint and demanded ransom for their release. He demanded ransom from all three and asked for it to be paid to the same CashApp account.
In July 2022, one of the victims was on a temporary work assignment in the Dominican Republic (D.R.). The American used the dating app Grindr during his stay there. On July 17, 2022, Rodriguez Delgado contacted the American on the app and introduced himself as “Sebastian.” The two men made plans to meet for a date on July 30, 2022. Rodriguez Delgado arrived at the American’s hotel driving a red Hyundai.
A coworker was waiting with the American and introduced herself to Rodriguez Delgado. She also took a photograph of his license plate. Rodriguez Delgado departed the hotel with the American and drove onto a highway. Moments later, Rodriguez Delgado abruptly pulled off the road and into a secluded area.
An accomplice ran towards the car, got into the backseat, and put the American in a headlock. Delgado then drove down the highway at a high rate of speed. Rodriguez Delgado drew a knife, and demanded the American’s cellphone, credit cards, passwords, and PIN numbers.
Rodriguez Delgado logged onto the American’s credit card accounts and ordered the American to call his coworker to request that she send money via CashApp to a specified bank if he wanted to live.
The coworker was unable to transfer money. Undeterred, Rodriguez Delgado ordered the American to call his brother to send $10,000. The American’s brother only was able to successfully send $200 to the specified account. The American was then blindfolded and told that he would be released, but was warned not to tell anyone about the incident. The American later was released after being held hostage for about two-and-a-half hours.
Following victim reports and a request from the FBI to act on the hostage-takings, Dominican authorities began an investigation in August 2022.
Local law enforcement in the D.R. traced the red Hyundai to Rodriguez Delgado and arrested him on Sept. 10, 2022. Dominican authorities on October 4, 2022, transferred Rodriguez Delgado to U.S. custody.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Korba and Jolie Zimmerman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.