Background: The Seybold jewelry building in Miami (Google Maps). Insets, clockwise from top left: Zacary Biggs, Aaron Hammond, Tre’von Neal and Evan Puckett (Broward County Sheriff’s Office).
FBI agents in Florida thwarted an alleged kidnapping scheme carried out by a group of individuals referred to as “goons” who, according to federal authorities, had devised a plan to abduct a Miami jeweler with the intention of coercing him to surrender his $2 million in cryptocurrency.
Charges have been filed against Evan Puckett, 18, Tre’von Anthony Neal, 20, Zacary Briggs, 22, and Aaron Hammond, 21, covering offenses such as kidnapping conspiracy, attempted kidnapping, Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy, and Attempted Hobbs Act Extortion.
A confidential source tipped off the feds about the plan on Jan. 6. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, the source said a person he referred to as “Jack” was assembling a group of “goons” to kidnap a jeweler who worked at the Seybold building in downtown Miami. The victim was trying to exchange the crypto for cash.
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Feds say the informant showed agents the group chat dubbed “Play,” which is often code used by criminals planning an illegal plot. One of the men allegedly texted
“[w]hat’s good guys … Big money easy.” Jack then replied “let’s talk ab setting it up.” The group then proceeded to talk about the vehicle they would use and the type of weapons they would need. One of the men said they would need about $3,500 up front to buy all the supplies they would need.
But the plan hit a snag when one of the now-busted kidnappers said that price would be too high. He did offer to “float the ‘rental car money,”” the affidavit said. Eventually, two of the men said they would supply the seed money, per the feds.
The plan was to hold the victim captive “until we get paid.” But they emphasized that they didn’t want to hurt the victim, feds wrote. The suspects also asked the confidential informant to supply the vehicle they would use. He did so — but it was delivered by an undercover agent and the vehicle was outfitted with cameras, a tracker and listening devices, according to the FBI. Agents also were tracking Puckett’s and Neal’s phones via GPS, the affidavit said.
One of the suspects allegedly said “one knock” and “one good bop” would do enough to incapacitate the victim without doing any “brain damage.”
On Jan. 13, Puckett obtained two firearms — a handgun and an AR-style pistol — the feds said. He allegedly sent photos of the weapons to the group. Neal, Hammond and Briggs drove down from Central Florida. Later that day, the men descended upon the suspect vehicle in Broward County. The feds were lying in wait. All four men were ordered to the ground; three complied. Neal ran away but was quickly apprehended at a nearby business, the affidavit said.
Post-Miranda, Puckett allegedly admitted to his role in the kidnapping plot but claimed the weapons were just for protection. Neal reportedly said he was just acting as “security” in the event the robbery went bad. Briggs said he was just the driver and claimed Neal was using his phone on the drive down to South Florida.
Puckett is “known to scam people for cryptocurrency,” Briggs allegedly said. Hammond told cops the plan was for Puckett to act like he was interested in buying a couple of watches, lure the victim out to a car and then attack him, the affidavit said. Hammond’s alleged role was the “jump out guy.”
All four men are in jail without bond. They are next due in court on Jan. 21.
