Juan, a victim of an attempted murder ordered by his neighbor, Francisco Javier Perez, testified about his kidnapping ordeal involving a drug cartel. Despite considering Perez a friend, Juan was attacked following a drug-related mishap. After being stabbed and shot, he managed to escape. The case highlights unusual instances of cartel violence on U.S. soil, as emphasized by a presiding judge. Perez, charged with multiple serious crimes, has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney disputes ties to any cartel, raising questions about jurisdiction and cartel influence.
"The case against Perez, who is accused of orchestrating the abduction from Tijuana, is a rare example, authorities said, of extreme cartel violence playing out on U.S. soil."
"I've been doing this for quite some time," Superior Court Judge Hayden Zacky said at the close of the hearing Wednesday. "I haven't seen a case quite like this one. This is very high-level, cartel-like behavior."
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