Three drug traffickers in the US state of Florida have been sentenced to decades in prison for kidnapping and brutally torturing a rival using hot sauce during an 18-hour ordeal. The violent episode stemmed from a feud over a drug deal gone sour, the New York Post reported.
According to federal prosecutors, 25-year-old Mario Espino orchestrated the kidnapping of Gabriel Leger, a former associate turned rival, on October 12, 2023. Espino, along with accomplices Jacob James Guest (24) and Joey Lawrence Eugene Young (25), allegedly held Leger captive while demanding 10 kilograms of fentanyl from his cartel contacts.
In a chilling account shared in court documents, prosecutors said Espino and Young tortured Leger by pouring hot sauce into his eyes and rectum. The victim was later found in the backseat of a car with a pillowcase over his head, his wrists bound with zip ties and electrical cords.
The trio reportedly fled when police approached the vehicle, leaving behind 22 kilograms of methamphetamine, 100 grams of fentanyl, a firearm, and over $10,000 in cash.
All three men pleaded guilty to charges including drug trafficking, kidnapping, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug crimes. Young received the harshest sentence at 25 years, followed by Espino with 22.5 years. The guest, who was present during the torture but did not directly participate, was sentenced to 20 years.
Court records suggest the attack was triggered by Espino's anger over being excluded from Leger's drug operations.
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