Two plead guilty in fake-kidnapping extortion scheme

Two Springfield residents yesterday pleaded guilty to extorting several thousand dollars from women in East Boston and Revere by claiming they had their relatives captive and demanding ransoms, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Jose Carrasquillo, 33, got a year in jail and and Jennifer Rodriguez, 21, was sentenced to 30 days in jail. Both were ordered to repay their victims, the DA's office reports.

According to prosecutors, Carrasquillo called a Revere woman on Dec. 15, 2013:

Stating that the woman’s daughter, who was away at college, had been involved in a car accident with the caller’s cousin, who was a violent fugitive. The fugitive had a gun to the daughter’s head, the caller said, and would kill her if the victim didn’t do as she was told.

The victim remained on the phone with Carrasquillo for three hours while making two Western Union wire transfers totaling $1,000 to Rodriguez.

According to the DA's office, he netted $3,800 from a similar call to an East Boston woman in January of last year. Prosecutors allege the two were part of a ring of extortionists.

Carrasquillo pleaded guilty to two counts each of attempted extortion, money laundering, and receiving stolen property over $250, and a single count of conspiracy; Rodriguez pleaded guilty to single counts of attempted extortion, money laundering, receiving stolen property over $250, and conspiracy.

In a statement, DA Dan Conley said:

The so-called ‘kidnap scam’ has been used across the country. In almost every case, investigators have learned very quickly that the nominal victims were safe and sound. Cases like these can be frightening, but victims who slow down and check on their loved ones can avoid significant financial losses.