California man sentenced for kidnapping ex-girlfriend and taking her to Idaho
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BOISE – A California man was sentenced on Tuesday after he kidnapped his ex-girlfriend and brought her to Idaho against her will.
Emiliano Jaime Ramos, 41, of Lompoc, California was sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office.
Ramos was indicted on Feb. 15 on one count of kidnapping. As part of a plea agreement, Ramos pleaded guilty to the count on Aug. 17, and the prosecution agreed to recommend 180 months, or 15 years, in prison.
According to court records, Ramos and the victim had previously dated, but after their breakup, the victim refused to meet up with Ramos and blocked his phone number and social media accounts.
On Dec. 21, 2022, Ramos found the victim in the parking lot of her workplace in Pismo Beach, California.
When the victim got in her car to leave, Ramos opened the back passenger door and jumped into the seat behind her. He then reached around the driver’s seat and pressed a handgun into her right side, leading her to believe she was going to be shot.
Ramos, who was in possession of a large knife in addition to the gun, forced the victim to drive from California to Nevada, Oregon, and eventually to Nampa, Idaho, where Ramos checked them into a hotel.
Later, when Ramos was asleep, the victim grabbed her cell phone, which had been sitting on a nightstand, and turned it on.
She quickly sent a text message to 911, before turning the phone off and placing it back on the nightstand. Once the 911 message was received, Nampa police officers were dispatched to the hotel, where they assembled a team of officers to conduct a rescue.
On the morning of Dec. 23, 2022, Ramos was arrested as he exited the hotel room. Ramos had also sexually assaulted the victim during the kidnapping, and told her that he was planning to kill her in Idaho.
“The bravery of the victim in this case is powerful and I salute the law enforcement officers who rescued her and brought the defendant to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am also grateful to the victim specialists at the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office and my office who have supported and will continue to support the courageous victim in this case.”
In addition to the Nampa Police Department, U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Idaho State Police Forensic Services, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Lab, Idaho Department of Correction, the Pismo Beach Police Department, and the Santa Maria Police Department, which led to the charges.