Detroit City Wire

DETROIT – Cortez Blake, 23, and Nasir Lewis, 24, both from Detroit, were convicted of kidnapping by a federal jury yesterday, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James M. Deir of the ATF in Michigan. The convictions followed an eight-day jury trial before United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson.

During the trial, the jury heard evidence that the defendants worked with others to kidnap and beat their victim. The kidnappers wrongly believed the victim took part in a carjacking and sought retaliation and information from him. According to testimony, a group of armed men took the victim from Sinai-Grace Hospital to an empty lot in Detroit where he was beaten. The kidnappers then transported him to a residence controlled by Blake, where he was held at gunpoint and intermittently beaten for hours before being abandoned miles away on the roadside.

Seven people were charged with conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping related to this incident. With these verdicts, five individuals have been convicted: Maijah Greene pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap; Shatonnia Kimbrough pleaded guilty to kidnapping; and Armond Williams also pleaded guilty to kidnapping.

The trial of a sixth individual, Semaj Ayers, remains pending.

The final defendant, Karamoh Turner, was acquitted at trial but still faces charges of aggravated identity theft and wire fraud in federal court.

Two additional people were convicted of the carjacking that precipitated the kidnapping. Jamar Lee-Stinson pleaded guilty to carjacking and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 141 months in prison in May 2024. Amiaya Bryant also pleaded guilty to similar charges and received a sentence of 120 months in June 2024.

All defendants remain in custody. Each person convicted of kidnapping or conspiracy to kidnap faces up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than five years of supervised release.

“So often one terrible crime spins into a cycle of violence and retribution,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “And too often those cycles end tragically—with death, injury, and incarceration... if you retaliate these verdicts should make clear that we will use every tool we have to seek justice.”

“Cortez Blake and Nasir Lewis represent the ‘worst of the worst’ offenders calling Detroit home,” said ATF Special Agent James Deir. “They kidnapped and beat a citizen... They are common-day thugs who put their gang membership above everything else... In my experience these folks represent the most deserving candidates for federal prosecution.”

The United States Attorney’s Office along with ATF is focused on prosecuting individuals using firearms for violent acts within Michigan's Eastern District as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN aims at reducing violent crime through collaborative efforts among various stakeholders focusing on enforcement against violent offenders while partnering with prevention programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case has been investigated with assistance from multiple agencies including the Office of Inspector General – U.S Department of Labor; United States Marshals Service; Detroit Police Department’s Gang Intelligence Unit; Michigan Department of Corrections.