Dorchester Man Sentenced for Role in 2016 Kidnapping

BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a 2016 kidnapping.

Vinh Quang Huynh, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (17 months in prison), three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $6,300. Judge Sorokin also ordered Huynh to forfeit property including cash, jewelry and a car. In December 2018, Huynh pleaded guilty to kidnapping, conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means and operating an illegal gambling business.

Co-defendants Quang PT Le and Kim Nguyen previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping, conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means, and illegal gambling business. Le was sentenced to six years in prison and three years of supervised release; and Kim Nguyen was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release. Co-defendant Ban Tran pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and was sentenced to eight months in prison and one year of supervised release. In a related case, Tam V. Nguyen previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means and illegal gambling business and is scheduled to be sentenced in September 2019.

On Nov. 14, 2016, Le, who was armed with a knife, and Kim Nguyen kidnapped a victim from the front of the victim’s residence and drove the victim to Dorchester, where they were joined by Huynh. Huynh and Le beat the victim in an attempt to collect a gambling debt of $40,000. Huynh, Le and Nguyen then drove the victim home and demanded a payment of $10,000 the next day. Tran was present during the beating and followed the kidnappers in his car in an attempt to hide the kidnapping. The next day, the victim went to law enforcement and, under the direction of law enforcement officers, made a series of controlled, recorded payments to Le and, on two occasions, Huynh. Over the course of eight months, the victim made payments totaling $22,350 to Le. In August 2017, law enforcement arrested the defendants before the last payment was due.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan made the announcement today. The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston and Massachusetts Department of Correction assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E.  Moran of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.