Texas man who forced Lyft driver at gunpoint to take him to Florida sentenced to 12 years
A Texas man who kidnapped a ride-share driver and forced her at gunpoint to take him to South Florida was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday.
Miguel Alejandro Pastran Hernandez, 24, hired the Lyft driver for what was supposed to be a short trip to a gas station in Arlington, near Dallas, but the terrifying journey lasted for nearly 1,400 miles.
In December, Pastran pleaded guilty in Miami federal court to charges of kidnapping the woman, carjacking her vehicle and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The last of those three charges carried a mandatory-minimum sentence of seven years. Since his arrest last year, he has been held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami.
At his sentencing, prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga to give Pastran a longer sentence, up to 16 years, arguing he “forever changed” the victim’s life and made “her unable to continue her work as a Lyft driver or to feel personal security.”
“The victim feared she would die during the three days that the defendant kidnapped her,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah said in a court filing.
The 1,366-mile ride-share nightmare began on the evening of Aug. 16, 2024, when the Lyft driver picked up Pastran for the supposed trip to the gas station in Arlington, according to a factual statement filed with the defendant’s plea agreement. The station, however, appeared to be closed.
Heard the sound of a gun being loaded
At that point, the driver heard the click of a gun as Pastran loaded a cartridge into the chamber, the statement says. She also saw the passenger holding what appeared to be a weapon, which federal authorities say turned out to be a BB gun.
“In fear for her life, [the driver] offered to give the defendant her possessions and leave the vehicle, but the defendant told [her] that he was going to tie her up and put her in the back of the vehicle, a 2023 Honda HR-V,” according to the factual statement.
Instead, Pastran ordered her to drive to Florida, according to the FBI and prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The passenger used a mobile app on his cell phone to detect law enforcement and told the driver to avoid those areas. Pastran also told the driver that he had other guns inside his luggage in the car.
During the Texas-Florida trip, Pastran discovered the driver had a blue 9mm handgun in the car and that it was unloaded with the ammunition stored separately in the vehicle, according to the statement filed with the defendant’s plea agreement. Pastran loaded the ammunition in the firearm and kept it on him for the rest of the trip.
During the journey, Pastran “brandished” the gun at the driver so she would follow his commands, prosecutors said.
Looking for social influencer in Miami Beach
On Aug. 18, Pastran and the Lyft driver arrived in Miami Beach, where the passenger checked out the residence of another potential kidnapping target, according to the defendant’s statement filed in federal court.
Pastran told the driver the target was a social media influencer, and that he intended to kidnap him or someone in his family for a $3 million ransom.
The following day, Pastran forced the Lyft driver to take her to a Dollar Store in Hialeah to buy supplies for the kidnapping of the social media influencer, according to the statement. Pastran held onto the driver’s car keys while she used the restroom. Soon after, police officers arrived at the store but Pastran had fled on foot.
A few hours later, police officers caught up with Pastran at a park in Hollywood. While searching him, police found a cross-body bag containing the Lyft driver’s blue handgun. It was loaded and had a bullet in the chamber.
Police also obtained Pastran’s backpack in the Lyft driver’s car. Inside were multiple Airsoft or BB guns, knives, a black mask, a hat, sunglasses, binoculars, walkie-talkies, zip-ties and other items.
After his arrest, “the defendant admitted that he had ordered a Lyft ride in Texas and had kidnapped the driver,” confirming that “he made [her] drive him to Florida and that she was not free to leave.”
