(FOX40.COM) — Three Sacramento men were found guilty of the kidnapping and robbery of a Southern California businessman, the United States Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
According to officials, 45-year-old Jerome “Rome” Franklin Jr., 41-year-old Andrae “Plates” Hawkins and 31-year-old De’Andre Lamont King, all of Sacramento, traveled to Lancaster on Oct. 27, 2023, to kidnap the victim from his workplace.
After kidnapping the victim, they beat him, zip-tied his hands behind his back and duct-taped his turban over his face, officials said. They also demanded $100,000 or more as well as gold and jewelry, from the victim, threatening to kill him and his family if he did not comply.
Officials said that some of the defendants traveled to the victim’s home to invade it while the victim was kidnapped. The victim’s wife noticed the invaders on their home security system and contacted the victim’s phone, which was in the kidnappers’ possession.
The victim was eventually abandoned in a desolate area and was rescued. The defendants now face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and are set to be sentenced on Nov. 5.
One of the two vehicles used in the kidnapping was rented by another Sacramento man, 59-year-old Shanjeet Brar. Brar pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and one count of kidnapping in September 2025, and currently awaits sentencing.
An additional defendant, 31-year-old Peter Arafiles Jr., also of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and is serving a 10-year prison sentence.
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