ML man pleads guilty to kidnapping assault

EPHRATA - A third man in connection to a January kidnapping and assault is going to prison.

Andre Z. Balderas, 30, of Moses Lake, pled guilty to one count each of second-degree kidnapping and second-degree assault.

Balderas was sentenced to 1 year and nearly 10 months for the kidnapping and 1 year and eight months for the assault. Both sentences reflected the high end of the standard range.

Two others involved in the kidnapping, Michael Meier, 16, and Brett Meier, 18, both of Moses Lake, pled guilty in March.

Michael was sentenced to nine months for second-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment. Brett was sentenced to 18 months for the same charges. According to court documents, the brothers had previous felony convictions.

The fourth man connected to the kidnapping, 23-year-old James Boyd of Fort Washington, Md., remains in Grant County Jail.

According to the police report, the victim was at Michael's house in Moses Lake with Brett, Boyd and Balderas before he was asked if he wanted to go with them somewhere else.

While the group was driving south on state Route 17 in a Hummer toward Othello, Balderas asked for the victim's cellphone.

The five of them arrived at a trailer in Othello and when everyone went inside Boyd pulled out a chrome handgun, pointed it at the victim and called him a snitch.

After the victim stated he didn't know what Boyd was talking about he was punched and kicked by people in the group.

When the attack was finished, the victim was ordered to shower and Boyd stated that he would kill him if he said anything, according to the police report.

According to court documents, the Meiers brothers and Boyd reportedly drove the victim to the Moses Lake Sand Dunes.

While people were exiting the vehicle the victim was able to hide underneath the Hummer and escape.

Boyd yelled and looked for the victim, but when the men couldn't find him they drove off.

The victim was able to make it to a Moses Lake home where the owner called 9-1-1.

Detectives observed several cuts and contusions on the victim's head. The victim also reported that his jaw was broken and his ribs were bruised.