Pasadena Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Deadly Kidnapping-for-Ransom Plot

[UPDATED] A Pasadena man pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal kidnapping charge in connection with the kidnap-for-ransom of a Santa Ana man in San Gabriel two years ago, who prosecutors said died after being repeatedly beaten and shocked with a Taser before his body was buried in the Mojave Desert, authorities said.

Anthony Valladares, 28, of Pasadena admitted to the charge in federal court in Los Angeles, according to U.S. Attorneys Office spokesman Thom Mrozek. Under a plea agreement reached with prosecutors last month, he’s expected to face between 12 and 25 years in prison when he returns to court for sentencing on Oct. 18.

He, along with three other men, kidnapped 28-year-old Ruochen “Tony” Liao of Santa, reportedly a luxury car dealer, from the parking lot of a shopping center in San Gabriel on July 16, 2018, according to federal prosecutors.

He was taken to a home in Corona where he was bound, blindfolded, repeatedly beaten and repeatedly shocked with a Taser, the DOJ said in a written statement.

The kidnappers contacted Liao’s family and demanded a $2 million ransom, authorities said.

Prosecutors believe Liao died the following day, before his body was taken to the Mojave Desert and buried.

The body remained unidentified until the victim’s identity was determined through DNA analysis in July of 2019.

Three co-defendants have also been charged in connection with the deadly kidnapping plot.

Alexis Ivan Romero Velez, 24, of Azusa, pleaded guilty to a federal kidnapping charge in September for his role in the crime, according to U.S. Attorneys Office spokesman Ciaran McEvoy.

Velez also faces an expected 12 to 25 years in federal prison at his sentencing, which has been scheduled for Feb. 4, according to court documents.

“Valladares was the ‘muscle’ hired to intimidate, beat, and subdue Liao during the kidnapping,” Mrozek said in a written statement. “Valladares agreed to accept cash for the job.”

He was paid $1,000 for the crime, officials said.

The two men who allegedly orchestrated the plot, Guangyao Yang, 26, and Peicheng Shen, 34, fled to China following the kidnapping, officials said. They’re last known U.S. residences were in West Covina.

Both have since been taken into custody in China and were expected to face charges there in connection with the crime, officials said.

Shen had met with the victim several times over the summer, “under the pretense that Shen would help the victim collect a debt from another individual,” according to Mrozek.

On their third meeting, Shen lured Liao into a minivan, where Valladares attacked him upon hearing a signal word from Shen, prosecutors said.

“Once Shen uttered the word, Valladares and Shen violently assaulted Liao, used a taser to subdue him, and ultimately bound and restrained him with a black hood and ties,” Mrozek said. “Valladares admitted to helping Yang acquire the taser used in the kidnapping, and also admitted to acquiring a revolver and bullets for the kidnapping.”

“Shen and Yang then took the victim to a house in Corona, where they confined him by binding his legs together, taping his eyes shut, restraining his arms behind him and confining him in a closet,” Mrozek said.

The victim’s father received a phone call the following day demanding $2 million be transferred into three Chinese bank accounts within three hours, “in exchange for the victim’s life,” he said. “The victim’s father also received photographs of the victim, who was physically restrained in a closet.”

Valladares and Velez were not believed to have been present when Liao died, prosecutors said. That took place while he was allegedly being held captive by Shen and Yang, who also allegedly disposed of the body.

“Further, Shen allegedly had the closet of the Corona house re-carpeted,” Mrozek said. “Yang also performed internet searches to determine, in effect, how fast a corpse decomposes in soil.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the expected sentences faced by the defendants. The story has been updated.

See also:

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

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