Photo: Broward County Sheriff's Office
Six men are facing federal charges after allegedly kidnapping two people from the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort and torturing them at a remote boat ramp in Broward County, Florida, according to newly unsealed court documents.
The incident began on the night of Wednesday (May 29) when the suspects, identified as Saul Alfonso Fajardo, 19, Justin Phihoang Le, 20, Amari Tamire Hill, 21, Anthony Teruel Hernandez, 18, Marikevies McNichols Jr., 19, and Weilen Hernandez, 20, allegedly lured two victims to the resort’s parking garage with the help of a 17-year-old girl. The suspects were armed with semi-automatic weapons, wore masks and latex gloves, and forced the victims into separate vehicles at gunpoint, as detailed in the federal complaint.
According to investigators, one victim was pistol-whipped and threatened with death unless he complied. The suspects drove the victims to the West Broward Boat Ramp, where, under threat of violence, they were ordered to strip to their underwear and robbed of personal belongings, including phones and jewelry. One of the suspects, Le, allegedly used a blowtorch to burn a tattoo off one victim, stating, “I’m gonna burn the tattoo off of you, you don’t deserve to have it. I’m going to torture you."
The suspects also demanded money, forcing a victim to send $400 via Zelle and threatening further harm if their demands were not met. Hill is accused of firing a gunshot into the air during a video call to show seriousness.
Fearing for their lives, one victim faked a seizure at the boat ramp. The suspects, worried about being tracked by an ankle monitor worn by the other victim, dropped him off in Cooper City, where he found help. The other victim was thrown from a car in Weston and received medical attention for injuries.
Authorities later recovered burned clothing and other evidence at the boat ramp. Surveillance footage and text messages supported the victims' accounts, with messages between the female suspect and Fajardo referencing injuries from the assault and attempts to delete evidence.
All six adult suspects were arrested between Saturday (June 1) and Wednesday (June 5), and are being held at the Paul Rein Detention Facility in Pompano Beach. They face charges of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, with arraignment hearings scheduled throughout June. The 17-year-old girl’s legal status was not specified in court documents.