LOS ANGELES, CA – A former Los Angeles police officer and three other men are facing felony charges in connection with a violent home invasion and kidnapping for ransom that took place in Koreatown last December.
Prosecutors allege that on Dec. 28, 2024, at around 2:30 a.m., former LAPD officer Eric Halem, 37, and co-defendant Mishael Mann, 20, entered a Koreatown apartment, where they handcuffed two victims, transferred funds from a cryptocurrency account, and stole cash and jewelry before fleeing. Luis Banuelos, 28, of Jurupa Valley, and Pierre Louis, 26, of Attleboro, Mass., are accused of serving as getaway drivers.
Halem and Mann are being held without bail, while Banuelos and Louis remain in custody on $1.3 million bail each. All four have pleaded not guilty. The preliminary hearing for all defendants is set for Sept. 24 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Each is charged with kidnapping for ransom, first-degree residential robbery, and home invasion robbery in concert. If convicted, they face life in state prison.
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Key Points
- Former LAPD officer and three men charged in Dec. 28 Koreatown kidnapping for ransom and robbery
- Victims were handcuffed, robbed of cryptocurrency, cash, and jewelry
- Defendants face life in prison if convicted; next court date set for Sept. 24
