Texas Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Kidnapping Lyft Driver

Miguel Alejandro Pastran Hernandez, a 24-year-old Venezuelan national, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for kidnapping a Lyft driver at gunpoint and forcing her to drive him from Arlington, Texas to South Florida. The incident, which occurred on August 16, 2024, involved Pastran threatening the driver with a firearm and making her avoid police locations during the nearly 1,400-mile journey. Prosecutors highlighted the severe impact on the victim's life, stating she can no longer work as a Lyft driver due to the trauma. Upon reaching Miami Beach, Pastran had plans to kidnap a social media influencer for ransom, but his plans unraveled when the victim managed to escape and alert authorities. He was apprehended shortly after fleeing a store where he was directing the driver to gather supplies for his abduction plot. The sentence included a combination of charges for kidnapping, carjacking, and possessing a firearm during a violent crime.