US EditionUtah man kidnaps family for 6 months, lying they needed protection from ‘cartel,’ police say
- Dominic Christopher Garcia, 23, was arrested on Saturday in Millcreek after allegedly holding his girlfriend's family hostage for about six months in their home.
- Garcia moved into the family home in December 2024 and began claiming his family’s business had ties to a cartel threatening to kill them, which he later admitted was a lie.
- He armed himself with a 10mm handgun, routinely brandished it to threaten family members, restricted their movements, and forced one member to endure a harsh 'boot camp' including ice baths and face-holding underwater.
- Garcia faces 28 charges including seven counts each of aggravated kidnapping, assault, and hazing with a dangerous weapon, and was ordered held without bail amid concerns he is a flight risk and danger to the family.
- Garcia told police he fabricated the cartel story for months because he feared the family would reject him, acknowledging he caused them to live in fear and inflicted mental trauma.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Utah man allegedly holds girlfriend's family hostage for six months to 'protect' them from cartels: It was all a lie
In a harrowing case that has shocked the Millcreek, Utah, community, police arrested 23-year-old Dominic Garcia after he allegedly held his pregnant girlfriend and her family hostage for nearly six months. It was under the pretense of protecting them from a dangerous drug cartel. Garcia now faces 28 felony charges, including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, threat of violence, and hazing involving a weapon. According to a police affid…
Utah Man Allegedly Held His Girlfriend and Her Family Hostage for 6 Months, Claiming He Protected Them from a ‘Cartel’
Dominic Garcia was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, threat of violence and hazing involving the use of a dangerous weapongetty A Salt lake City Police carA family of seven allowed their daughter's boyfriend, Dominic Garcia, to move into their home in December 2024Quickly, he allegedly told the family that his family was part of a business with ties to a cartel and they needed to abide by his instructions to stay …
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