A Halfway Metropolis man who has been lacking for almost two weeks was adopted dwelling, tased and kidnapped for ransom by two ex-parolees who’ve served time for theft and homicide, Orange County prosecutors say.
In courtroom paperwork combating their launch from jail filed March 19, prosecutors say that permitting Nhan Nguyen, 49, and Phi Nguyen, 53, to put up bond would lead to additional hurt to 61-year-old Tony Lam, who was crushed and compelled right into a automobile exterior his Halfway Metropolis dwelling on March 15. The Orange County Sheriff’s Division, which is investigating the case, sought assist from the general public final week to search out Lam. However, the trouble has not been profitable, authorities advised The Instances.
Each Nguyens have been arrested within the final two weeks and every face a felony rely of kidnapping for ransom. Neither man has entered a plea. Prosecutors detailed the 2 males’s felony histories, which date again to the Nineties, in motions filed with the courtroom to dam them from bailing out of jail. The motions have been permitted by commissioners the identical day.
“Regulation enforcement can’t render help to sufferer as a result of defendant callously refuses to inform them the place he introduced sufferer. It’s unknown if [Lam] is useless or alive. His household has no thought the place he’s or if he’s protected or struggling. And defendant couldn’t care much less,” Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Nicholas Thomo wrote in motions for every of the defendants.
Attorneys representing the 2 males didn’t return telephone calls looking for remark.
Prosecutors allege that Nhan Nguyen and Phi Nguyen adopted Lam from a restaurant as he rode in an Uber again to his home on Hunter Lane. Shortly after midnight on March 15, a lady within the neighborhood was woke up by screams and pleas for assist. She watched as a person dragged Lam down the driveway right into a ready automobile.
Safety digital camera footage reviewed by investigators confirmed an assailant, which authorities allege was Nhan Nguyen, hitting Lam and deploying a Taser on him. “Who’re you?” Lam screamed again on the man, prosecutors stated of their submitting.
At one level, Lam made it again onto his toes and ran for his entrance door, however the attacker caught as much as him and tased him within the higher physique “earlier than throwing him to the bottom,” the submitting states.
Authorities linked Nhan Nguyen, who they allege had ties to a felony road gang, to the assault by his automobile’s license plate, in line with the doc. He was arrested later that day. Phi Nguyen, who authorities allege was with Nhan Nguyen the evening of the kidnapping, was taken into custody on March 19, police stated.
Nhan Nguyen advised investigators that he was “simply doing [his] job.” Later, he advised them “the kidnapping was over an argument he had with the sufferer,” Thomo wrote. Investigators haven’t disclosed a motive within the case.
Thomo stated Nhan Nguyen is a “violent, harmful gangster,” within the submitting.
Nhan Nguyen was convicted of second-degree homicide with an enhancement to be used of a firearm in 1999 in Los Angeles County. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in jail, in line with L.A. County courtroom data.
He was paroled in 2017 and discharged from supervision in 2021, in line with the California Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Phi Nguyen has served phrases in state jail 4 instances since 1996 on prices that embrace second-degree housebreaking and second-degree theft, drug possession and petty theft, in line with the California Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
In 2010, he was sentenced to 19 years in jail for first-degree housebreaking as a second-striker with enhancements for prior jail phrases. Whereas he was incarcerated in 2019, he was sentenced in San Diego County to 2 years in jail for possession of a managed substance, data present.
Phi Nguyen was launched on parole in February 2022 and was discharged from supervision final yr, in line with the company.
“He has clearly spent extra time in jail and jail than he has exterior the partitions of detention facility,” Thomo wrote about Phi Nguyen. “On condition that unbelievable statistic, he has nonetheless someway managed his tour of felony crusades throughout our state and nation. It’s apparent to the Individuals and ought to be to the courtroom that Defendant will flee the second he’s in a position.”
In the meantime, the seek for Lam continues. He’s 5 toes 7 inches tall and weighs about 145 kilos with black hair and brown eyes. He was final seen carrying a darkish shirt and blue denims.
Anybody with data is being requested to contact Orange County Sheriff Dispatch at (714) 647-7000. Nameless ideas could be offered by Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.
