Pasadena Man Expected to Plead Guilty Thursday in Deadly San Gabriel Valley Kidnapping, Ransom Plot

An Azusa man accused of taking part in the kidnapping of a man from the mall of a San Gabriel parking lot two years ago, ultimately resulting in his death, pleaded guilty to a federal kidnapping charge last week, while an alleged accomplice, a Pasadena man, was due in court Thursday and also expected to admit guilt, according to prosecutors.

Alexis Ivan Romero Velez, 24, of Azusa, pleaded guilty to a charge of kidnapping on Sept. 24, U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Ciaran McEvoy said Wednesday. Velez faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison when he returns to federal court in Los Angeles for a sentencing hearing on Feb. 4.

Co-defendant Anthony Valladares, 28, of Pasadena was scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment hearing on Wednesday, but the matter was postponed until Thursday, McEvoy said.

Valladares, too, was expected to plead guilty to kidnapping, according to McEvoy and court documents.

Two additional suspects in the case, Guangyao Yang, 26, and Peicheng Shen, 34, are charged with conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, attempted extortion in violation of the Hobbs Act and threat by foreign communication, according to U.S. DOJ spokesman Thom Mrozek. They were arrested in China, where they fled following the alleged crimes. They had previously lived in West Covina.

The four men are accused in the kidnapping and eventual killing, of Ruochen “Tony” Liao, 28, of Santa Ana, prosecutors said. Liao was kidnapped from a mall parking lot in San Gabriel on July 16, 2018.

The kidnappers then attempted to extort $2 million from the victim’s family, authorities said.

During his captivity, Liao was bound, blindfolded, held in a closet at a home in Corona and subjected to violence including being repeatedly beaten and shocked with a Taser, according to officials and court documents.

Liao was believed to have died from his injuries on July 17, 2018. Yang and Shen then allegedly buried Liao’s body in the Mojave Desert, where it was ultimately found and identified through DNA analysis in July of 2019, according to the DOJ.

FBI agents took Velez and Valladares into custody on July 14, 2020, after they agreed to go to the Pasadena Police Department to be interviewed, officials said at the time.

“Valladares was the ‘muscle’ hired to intimidate, beat and subdue Liao during the kidnapping, and Romero was the driver of the vehicle used in the kidnapping,” U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement.

“During the investigation, the FBI learned that Valladares and Romero worked with Yang and Shen to conduct the kidnapping, during which Liao was repeatedly beaten and tased into submission,” Mrozek said.

“Valladares told investigators he had been paid $1,000 to take part,” Mrozek added.

See also:

Pasadena Man Faces Arraignment in Connection with Deadly Kidnapping

Pasadena Man, Azusa Man Arrested in Connection with Deadly Kidnapping and Extortion Plot