FIVE DEFENDANTS PLEAD GUILTY IN MICHIGAN KIDNAPPING CONSPIRACY TARGETING FAMILY MEMBER WHO RECEIVED OVER $100,000 IN DONATIONS

DETROIT, MICHIGAN — Five defendants have pleaded guilty to federal offenses stemming from a violent kidnapping and robbery conspiracy targeting a Michigan man who received more than $100,000, a new vehicle, and other gifts after his act of kindness gained widespread attention on social media. The September 2025 attack involved armed carjacking, physical assaults, forced financial withdrawals, a residential burglary, and the deliberate burning of the victim’s truck, according to an announcement issued November 4, 2026, by U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Roland Chatmon, 37, of Detroit; Leica Lopez Martinez, 33, of Lake Orion; Ieasha Stroman, 38, of Pontiac; and Dneiqua Stroman, 43, of Pontiac, pleaded guilty to kidnapping conspiracy and federal firearms offenses. A fifth defendant, Kenneth Anderson, 54, of Pontiac, previously pleaded guilty to money laundering for assisting with the movement of funds obtained during the crime. Anderson has already been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution, while the remaining four defendants await sentencing.

According to federal court filings and admissions made during the defendants’ plea hearings, the conspiracy began in August 2025 after Chatmon’s uncle attracted significant attention online for offering assistance to someone in need. A social media influencer organized a fundraising effort to recognize the man’s generosity, ultimately providing him with more than $100,000, a new car, and additional gifts. The financial contributions and public attention surrounding the gesture became the motivation for a criminal plot involving members of the victim’s own extended family.

On August 24, 2025, Chatmon discussed his uncle’s financial circumstances with his brother, who was incarcerated at the time. During a recorded jail telephone call, the two discussed a plan to take the money that had been donated to their relative. Federal prosecutors stated that the conversation included laughter about the proposed theft and established the early planning behind the conspiracy. Additional individuals became involved before the group carried out the attack.

On September 1, 2025, one conspirator approached the intended victim under the pretense of needing transportation. The victim agreed to provide a ride, unaware that the request was part of an organized effort to lure him into a vulnerable position. Chatmon communicated directions by cellphone while the victim drove, coordinating the movements of the other conspirators. After the vehicle stopped, the group confronted the victim at gunpoint and seized control of his truck.

The conspirators restrained the victim by tying his hands and feet and held him captive inside his own vehicle. They drove him to various locations while attempting to obtain money from his bank accounts, repeatedly striking him with firearms and physically assaulting him during the ordeal. According to prosecutors, the attackers successfully withdrew cash but continued demanding additional funds.

Under continued threats and physical abuse, the victim disclosed that a safe containing additional cash was located inside his residence. The conspirators transported him to the property while he remained restrained inside the truck. Chatmon and Dneiqua Stroman then entered the residence and stole the safe. During the burglary, they also restrained Chatmon’s aunt and left her tied up inside a bathtub, extending the violence and intimidation to another member of the family.

After stealing the safe, the conspirators abandoned the victim on the ground beside his truck and deliberately set the vehicle on fire before fleeing. The attack left the victim subjected to captivity, physical violence, financial exploitation, and the destruction of his property. The group later met with Anderson, who assisted in transferring money from the victim’s Cash App account into accounts controlled by the conspirators.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, conducted the federal investigation. On September 25, 2025, ATF agents executed search warrants at five residences in Detroit, Rochester Hills, and Pontiac, resulting in the arrests of the suspects. The investigation established the roles of the participants through evidence that included recorded communications, financial transactions, and admissions documented during federal court proceedings.

The four defendants convicted of kidnapping conspiracy and firearms offenses each face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled individually before the federal court.

Leica Lopez Martinez is scheduled for sentencing on February 3, 2027, followed by Dneiqua Stroman on February 9, Roland Chatmon on February 25, and Ieasha Stroman on March 15. The sentences ultimately imposed will depend on the applicable federal statutes, sentencing guidelines, and each defendant’s involvement in the criminal conduct.

U.S. Attorney Gorgon announced the guilty pleas alongside James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew R. Picek and Diane N. Princ are prosecuting the case on behalf of the federal government.

The case demonstrates how publicly disclosed charitable contributions and financial gifts can expose recipients to targeted criminal activity when individuals seek to exploit their newfound resources. What began as public recognition of one man’s generosity developed into a violent conspiracy involving members of his own family, resulting in federal convictions for kidnapping, firearms offenses, and money laundering. The remaining defendants now face substantial prison sentences for their participation in the attack.

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