Raymond Christian Garcia and Isiah Angelo Garcia were sentenced to 15 and 15.5 years in federal prison Thursday for an armed home invasion and kidnapping that netted over $8 million in cryptocurrency.
US District Judge Donovan W. Frank handed down the sentences after the brothers, both from Waller, Texas, pleaded guilty in June. On Sept. 19, 2025, they drove to Grant, Minnesota, entered a victim's home at gunpoint and zip-tied family members for more than nine hours while demanding access to crypto accounts.
When the initial transfer fell short, the Garcias forced the victim to a cabin in upstate Minnesota where they obtained additional digital assets from other devices. The victim's son called 911, prompting the brothers to flee. Law enforcement arrested them near Houston.
"Raymond and Isiah Garcia violated the sanctity of a home, abducted a victim, terrorized a family at gunpoint for hours, and disrupted an entire community in a brazen act of violence and greed," said Christopher D. Dotson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office.
The case reflects a sharp rise in physical attacks on crypto holders. Blockchain security firm CertiK documented 52 wrench attacks worldwide in the first half of 2026—a 33 percent jump from 39 in the same period of 2025. Home invasions became the most common vector, hitting 20 publicly reported cases compared to one a year earlier. Kidnappings specifically rose to 16 cases from 12.
France recorded 90 such attacks over seven months, underscoring the international scope of the threat. For crypto holders with significant on-chain positions, these cases signal the real physical risk that comes with being a known holder in an increasingly targeted environment.
