South Florida Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Torture and Kidnapping Plot

Today, a South Florida man pled guilty to charges arising from his participation in kidnapping a victim at gunpoint and, along with his co-conspirators, facilitating his torture.

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

Justin Boccio, 33, of Deerfield Beach, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, 1201(c); and kidnapping, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201(a) (Case No. 19-CR-20261). Boccio is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga on December 5, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison.

According to court records, Boccio and co-defendant Serge Nkorina (“Nkorina”), along with others, plotted to kidnap and torture a victim in an attempt to obtain tens of thousands of dollars from him. To facilitate the kidnapping, on or about December 30, 2018, Nkorina and Boccio purchased supplies at a Home Depot in Broward County, Florida. On or about January 5, 2019, the two rented a van from Budget with Florida tag number GHPT19. Then, on January 14, 2019, Boccio entered the victim’s office and made false representations on paperwork inside of the victim’s office. Later that same day, January 14, 2019, Nkorina and Boccio intercepted the victim in a Walmart parking lot in Broward County, Florida. Nkorina and Boccio blindfolded the victim and forced the victim into the rental van. The kidnappers then transported their victim to a storage facility in Margate, Florida, in which they burned the victim’s hands with a blowtorch while threatening to kill him with a firearm and other weapons. The kidnappers demanded information about the victim’s home address, including access codes to the victim’s residence. On or about January 15, 2019, Nkorina visited the premises of the victim’s home while carrying a firearm. Ultimately, also on January 15, 2019, Nkorina and Boccio left the victim, with his hands and feet bound, in his vehicle, which they relocated to the parking lot of Cheetah Gentlemen’s Club in Broward County, Florida.

Boccio is detained in South Florida and Nkorina was arrested and detained in Spain.  Nkorina has not yet made his appearance in the South Florida case and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI’s Miami Field Office in this matter. She thanked the Hallandale Police Department for their assistance.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa H. Miller in the Southern District of Florida.