California Man Sentenced To Six Years In Prison For Role In Abduction And Extortion Of Victim In Peekskill

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that LEWIS LI was sentenced today to six years in prison by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern for his role in the forceful abduction and extortion of a man in Peekskill, New York.

"Today's sentence reflects the seriousness of this crime and the fear and trauma that Li inflicted on the victim," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "Abducting a man in broad daylight, beating him up, and threatening him and his family is a grave offense that ravages the sense of safety that every community deserves. Our Office remains committed to protecting the public and ensuring that those who endanger our communities face justice."

According to the charging instruments, other public filings, and statements in public court proceedings:

On January 28, 2025, LI and his co-conspirators forcefully abducted and threatened their business partner ("Victim-1") in an effort to obtain almost $1 million from Victim-1. LI and his co-conspirators planned and prepared for the abduction for at least five days beforehand, taking steps that included purchasing and placing a GPS tracker on the underside of Victim-1's car, surveilling Victim-1's home, and digging through Victim-1's trash. At approximately 11:30 a.m. on January 28, 2025, LI and three co-conspirators followed and abducted Victim-1 outside of a grocery store on Park Street in Peekskill, New York, forcing Victim-1 into the backseat of a vehicle driven by one of the co-conspirators ("CC-1") in broad daylight. LI and his co-conspirators restrainedVictim-1 in the Jeep for approximately one hour and 45 minutes, before dropping Victim-1 off on the street in Elmsford, New York. During that time, LI and his co-conspirators beat and used a stun gun on Victim-1 and threatened Victim-1 to return approximately $930,000 in cash that LI believed Victim-1 had stolen.

While Victim-1 was in the vehicle, LI and his co-conspirators also threatened Victim-1, in sum and substance, that the money belonged to people involved in organized crime, that Victim-1 owed them an additional $100,000, and that the lives of Victim-1 and Victim-1's family were in danger unless Victim-1 paid the additional sum. LI and the others also forced Victim-1 to record a video admitting that Victim-1 had taken the money. As a result of the abduction, force, and threats, Victim-1 arranged for the disputed cash to be picked up by two of LI's co-conspirators at a location in Peekskill, New York. Only after the cash had been retrieved and counted did LI and his co-conspirators release Victim-1 from the vehicle, dropping Victim-1 on the street in Elmsford, New York.

In the days following the abduction, LI and CC-1 continued to threaten to harm Victim-1 and his family in an ongoing effort to extort $100,000 from him. LI was arrested approximately one week after the abduction, before Victim-1 made any further payments. In the apartment where LI was arrested, officers found, among other items, a stun gun and LI's phone, which LI had hidden in the oven.

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In addition to the prison term, LI, 36, of Huntington Beach, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $910,000.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Westchester Safe Streets Task Force.

The case is being handled by the Office's White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorja Knauer and Benjamin Levander are in charge of the prosecution.