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Man pleads guilty in kidnap of two NY college students

Posted at 7:46 AM, Aug 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-30 07:57:24-04

One of nine people charged with kidnapping and torturing two University of Rochester students in December has pleaded guilty.

Monroe County prosecutors say 27-year-old Jesus Castro-Ubiles will spend 35 years in prison after admitting to kidnapping and weapons counts.

He was indicted in January, about six weeks after the two victims, both college seniors, were reported missing. The students were rescued by a SWAT team after 40 hours when police determined they were being held in a Rochester home. One of the students had been shot in the leg.

Authorities at the time said the students appeared to be victims of mistaken identity.

Castro-Ubiles is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 5.

Charges against the eight co-defendants are pending.