A 24-year-old Federal Way man appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle this week following his indictment for kidnapping an Auburn woman, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.
Daniel Lopez was indicted by the grand jury on Nov. 6, 2024. Lopez was arrested in Texas and has been in state custody on charges originally filed in King County Superior Court.
Lopez is indicted for the Oct. 13, 2024, kidnapping of an Auburn woman. The woman was abducted at gunpoint from her home and ultimately was found safe in Guatemala.
According to records filed in the case, the woman’s husband reported her missing on Oct. 14, 2024, after arriving home and finding her belongings at their apartment. Two witnesses reported seeing the woman leaving with two men, one of whom was carrying a firearm. This man was subsequently identified as Lopez. Lopez was initially identified based on surveillance video from across the street showing vehicles in the apartment complex parking lot. Officers then reviewed traffic camera pictures to obtain license plate information and ultimately determined Lopez was a registered owner of one of the vehicles.
Lopez was ultimately traced to Houston, Texas and was arrested on Oct. 19, 2024, at a hotel.
The victim was identified by immigration authorities in southern Mexico and was transported to Guatemala where she has family members.
Law enforcement is working to determine any other coconspirators in the kidnapping scheme.
Kidnapping is punishable by up to life in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Auburn Police Department and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
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