Kyle Kahalehili Maez-Schaack, 33, of Grand Forks, North Dakota, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for his role in a violent kidnapping for ransom related to an unpaid drug debt. The sentencing follows his guilty plea to kidnapping, drug trafficking conspiracy, brandishing a firearm during the kidnapping, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Court documents reveal that in the early hours of March 5, 2024, Maez-Schaack, acting on orders from a co-defendant, kidnapped a victim at gunpoint from Fargo, North Dakota. The victim was transported across state lines to Moorhead, Minnesota, and held for ransom to collect a $6,000 debt for 500 grams of methamphetamine. The victim, who was beaten, was forced to call friends and family for money but was unable to raise the funds before escaping. Maez-Schaack and others kept the victim’s vehicle.
Maez-Schaack was identified as a drug distributor and "muscle" for a drug trafficking organization primarily operating in North Dakota's Red River Valley and Devils Lake area. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva emphasized that "This collateral violence threatens the safety of communities." U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Chase added that their office "will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those committing violent acts and trafficking illegal drugs."
Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office said, "The entire Red River Valley and Devil’s Lake communities are safer for that fact." The FBI and ATF investigated the case, leading to Maez-Schaack's conviction and lengthy sentence, which aims to deter similar drug-related violence.