A 23-year-old Detroit man has been sentenced to years in prison for kidnapping and beating someone he suspected was engaged in a carjacking.

A federal jury found Cortez Blake, 23, guilty of abduction in August. He is one of five people convicted of their roles in the November 2021 event. A sixth trial is pending.

According to prosecutors, Blake collaborated with others to abduct and assault their victim in punishment for a carjacking in which they mistakenly believed she was involved.

Officials claimed they gave the woman a ride home from Sinai Grace Hospital, but instead drove her to an empty lot against her consent and battered her. The armed guys then brought her to Blake’s house, where she was detained at gunpoint and repeatedly assaulted for several hours.

The group suspected she was involved in the theft of Blake’s automobile, but police confirmed she was not. Jamar Lee-Stinson and Amiaya Bryant pled guilty to carjacking and firing a handgun during a violent crime earlier this year.

Authorities reported that the man was punched, kicked, and battered with a bottle and hospital crutches before being abandoned on the side of the road miles away.

On Thursday, December 19, Blake was sentenced to 16 years and six months in federal prison.

In addition to Blake, four others have been convicted of their roles in the abduction. Nasir Lewis was convicted of abduction in August. Maijah Greene pled guilty to conspiracy to kidnap, while Shatonnia Kimbrough, 21, and Armond Williams, 22, both pleaded guilty to abduction for their participation in the incident.

Semaj Ayers’ trial is still pending. Karamoh Turner was acquitted, but he still faces accusations of aggravated identity theft and wire fraud.

Lee-Stinson and Bryant were both sentenced to about ten years in jail for the carjacking that prompted the kidnapping.

Reference: Man sentenced in violent kidnapping of Detroit woman over false carjacking belief