GRANT, Minn. (FOX 9) — Two Texas brothers, Raymond Christian Garcia, 23, and Isiah Angelo Garcia, 24, face multiple charges after allegedly kidnapping and holding a Washington County family hostage at gunpoint. The suspects reportedly stole over $72,000 in cryptocurrency during the ordeal.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call on September 19 after the family reported being held hostage in their home. The brothers forced a man back into his garage, tied up the family members, and held them captive for hours. Raymond Garcia was armed with an AR-15-style rifle, while Isiah Garcia carried a shotgun.
Isiah Garcia allegedly forced the victim to transfer more than $36,000 from a cryptocurrency wallet. The brothers then drove three hours to the family cabin in Jacobson, Minnesota, and coerced additional transfers of over $36,000 from a second crypto wallet. The victim suspected some of his crypto information had been leaked during a data breach.
During their escape, Isiah discarded the shotgun in a field after fleeing on foot, and Raymond was caught on camera running from the house. Authorities later recovered the AR-15 in a nearby tree line.
Isiah Garcia rented a car in Texas and drove to Minnesota before being apprehended in Texas on September 21. Raymond Garcia surrendered to authorities on September 22, reporting his AR-15 stolen. Investigators later linked the firearm to the crime scene.
Both brothers remain in custody, facing charges including kidnapping, burglary, and aggravated robbery. The incident prompted a shelter-in-place order and led to the cancellation of a local high school football game.
