Mexican Cartel-Tied Meth Ring Chained, Beat Victim In St. Paul: Feds

ST. PAUL, MN — A brutal kidnapping in St. Paul — in which a man was beaten, chained to a pole, and held hostage over a drug debt — has led to federal charges against 11 people tied to a drug trafficking ring linked to a Mexican cartel, prosecutors announced this week.

From July 2023 through January 2025, the 11 defendants conspired to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, according to authorities.

Ring leaders arranged for large quantities of methamphetamine to be delivered from Mexico to the Twin Cities by mail and via cars and trucks.

Once the drugs arrived, the Minnesota-based defendants broke down the shipments into smaller, distributable quantities and sold them to customers throughout the region, prosecutors said.

In January, a person who owed a ring leader in Mexico a significant amount of money was unable to pay. Four co-defendants lured the individual to a location in St. Paul, where they kidnapped him, beat him, chained him to a pole, and held him against his will, according to authorities.

During the assault, a cartel leader instructed one of the defendants over a messaging app, "You are breaking his hands. Break them good."

"This case highlights the inherent danger that transnational drug cartels bring to our country," said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick Friday. "This mob-style violence has no place in America, it has no place in Minnesota, and those who engage in it will be charged federally."

The following individuals have been indicted for the following crimes and have made their initial appearance in federal court:

• Richar Sanchez Mujica, 30, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to kidnap, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
• Donovan Rey Lopez, 21, of Minneapolis is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
• Erling Soren Holdahl, 48, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap.
• Dostin Elizander Ortiz-Garcia, 29, of Burnsville, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• Jonathan Salvador Juarez-Ferrer, 25, of Minneapolis, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• Timothy Duane Ripley, 45, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap.
• Kendra Sue Johnson, 39, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap.

Four other members of the conspiracy have not yet made their initial appearances.