Raymond Christian Garcia and Isiah Angelo Garcia, both of Waller, Texas, were sentenced Thursday to at least 15 years in prison each for holding a Minnesota family at gunpoint for more than nine hours to force the transfer of more than $8 million in cryptocurrency, the Justice Department said. Raymond received 180 months and Isiah 186.
U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank imposed the sentences on Oct. 29. Both brothers had pleaded guilty on June 18, and The Block reported they each faced up to 20 years and agreed to pay more than $8 million in restitution.
According to court documents, the brothers traveled from Texas to Grant, Minnesota, and on Sept. 19, 2025, kidnapped Victim 1 and his family in their home at gunpoint. They zip-tied the family and demanded access to his cryptocurrency accounts. When he did not transfer the amount they expected, they forced him to drive Isiah Garcia to the family's cabin in upstate Minnesota, where Garcia made him retrieve additional cryptocurrency storage devices and move the funds.
The brothers fled after the victim's son called 911. Law enforcement identified them and arrested them near Houston. Decrypt reported that investigators traced a rented Chevrolet Malibu to the brothers' home in Waller, and that officers found the son and mother still zip-tied at the house.
"The Garcia brothers committed a brazen and calculated act of violence against the victim and his family," U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said. "My office will continue to pursue those who use intimidation and threats to exploit victims, no matter where they flee." FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson said the defendants' acts "were targeted, deliberate, and extremely violent." The FBI and the Washington County Sheriff's Office investigated, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca E. Kline prosecuted.
Physical attacks to force crypto transfers have become a recurring crime. As we reported, an armed robber forced the transfer of $11 million from a San Francisco home, and 70% of the so-called wrench attacks were reported to be in France. In this case, two men traveled from Texas, took a family hostage and left with a haul prosecutors put above $8 million.