NEWARK, NJ — A Queens resident has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for kidnapping a store employee in Paterson, New Jersey, and transporting the victim across state lines in a U-Haul truck while demanding ransom from the victim’s family, authorities said.

Key Points

Reginald Law, 39, of Queens, was sentenced to 15 years for kidnapping and Hobbs Act robbery.
Law and co-conspirator Maurice Cottman abducted a store employee in Paterson in 2020 and demanded ransom.
The victim was transported in a U-Haul to New York; both men also stole funds using the victim’s debit card.

Kidnapping and ransom scheme

Reginald Law, 39, previously pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping and Hobbs Act robbery in U.S. District Court in Newark. U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin sentenced him to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

According to court documents and statements, the incident occurred on October 8, 2020, when Law and his co-conspirator Maurice Cottman entered a retail store in Paterson. The pair forcibly removed a store employee and transported him in a U-Haul truck to New York.

Victim held for ransom

During the kidnapping, Law and Cottman called the victim’s family and demanded money for his release. The two also coerced the victim into handing over his debit card and PIN, which they used to withdraw cash from his accounts.

Authorities said the victim was eventually recovered safely.

Co-conspirator also sentenced

Cottman previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping and was sentenced in March 2022 to 15 years in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler. He also received five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Alina Habba credited the FBI’s Newark and New York field offices, along with the Paterson Police Department, for their roles in the investigation.

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