APD Finds Stash House with Kidnap Victims, Man Charged

Albuquerque –

A 911 call to Albuquerque Police dispatch started an investigation in a high stakes kidnapping scheme that involved large cash payments for ransom. A woman let police know she was kidnapped and did not know where she was. The criminal complaint says APD used the phone she was using to ping a location near the 700 block of Old Coors Blvd.

Now, because of the investigation, 59-year-old Francisco Galvez, who was born in Mexico City but has been residing in Albuquerque, is being charged with kidnapping.

According to the criminal complaint, police found a note on Galvez with a list of names and a cash amount. The note had “libre” with the cash amount indicating how much was owed to be set free. Some had amounts up to $18,000 cash.

Victims told police they were trafficked from Mexico to the United States and taken to the house in Albuquerque. If they could not make the ransom, a $300 a day charge was added on.

Galvez said he would visit the house and see some “friends” and he would see random people at the house. He stated he would see different people at the house when he would visit.

Galvez denied being part of the stash house shenanigans even though the financial ledger of victims ransoms was on his person.

He was booked on kidnapping charges and more than likely will face federal charges in this case.