Final Two Defendants in Kidnapping Conspiracy Plead Guilty
Joshua Kasongo and Luke Elbino Admitted Their Roles in a Plot to Kidnap for Ransom

United States Attorney Julia C. Dudley announced today that Joshua Kasongo, age 19, of Roanoke and Luke Elbino, age 20, of Vinton, Virginia, pled guilty today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke to charges they participated in a conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Kasongo, Elbino, Mohamed Guhad, and Anthony Boyd-Muse were all indicted in May 2009 on charges related to a conspiracy to kidnap and attempted kidnapping.

Today in District Court, Kasongo and Elbino pled guilty to one count each of conspiring to commit kidnapping. Guhad and Boyd-Muse pled guilty to identical counts July 14, 2009. The maximum penalty faced by each defendant is a life sentence and/or a fine of up to $250,000. All four defendants will be sentenced October 8, 2009.

According to a statement of facts read into the record at today’s hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day, in March 2009, Guhad, Boyd-Muse, Kasongo and Elbino, began discussing a plan to kidnap wealthy women in the Roanoke area, hold them captive and force their husbands to pay ransom for their safe return.

The defendants researched potential targets, conducted surveillance in upscale neighborhoods, bought rope, handcuffs, disguises, and even secured weapons and a stash house for their victims. Several times during this period the defendants sat in parked cars outside or near the homes of potential targets, whom were all associated with the medical profession.

On April 6, 2009 the defendants’ planning became reality. At approximately 11:45 a.m., Elbino called the home of their target and asked if her husband was at home. The victim responded that he was not. Later in the day, Guhad and Elbino knocked on the victim’s door. The victim opened the door just a crack and kept her foot pressed against it at all times.

While standing at the door, Guhad asked the victim if she would participate in a Red Cross survey. The victim stated that her husband was on the board of the Red Cross and asked what it was they wanted. At this point one of the men stuck his arm through the opening of the door into the victim’s residence. The victim closed the door on his arm, throwing her body against the door and ran into the home screaming for her husband. Both men ran from the home back to their car, which was parked several blocks away and occupied by Kasongo.

After seeing the two men flee from the victim’s home, neighbors contacted police who stopped the defendants’ vehicle shortly thereafter. At the time of the stop, Guhad, Elbino and Kasongo were in the vehicle. Kasongo was driving.

At the time of the traffic stop police recovered a BB gun, tire iron, black back pack, two sets of handcuffs, two packages of new poly rope, one pair of binoculars, three brown cotton gloves, duct tape, and a laptop computer. Computer analysis of the laptop found that it was used to research residential and commercial property values, ownership, and locations of prominent Roanoke residents.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Roanoke County Police Department. Criminal Chief Thomas J. Bondurant and Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day are prosecuting the case for the United States.