Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - One of the suspects accused of helping to kidnap a Santa Ana business owner who wound up dead after his father was extorted of $2 million pleaded guilty today.

28-year-old Anthony Valladares pleaded to a single-count of conspiracy to kidnap. In his plea deal, he admitted to conspiring with Chinese nationals and an Azusa man to violently abduct Ruochen “Tony” Liao from a San Gabriel parking lot July 16, 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Valladares admitted to obtaining a gun, ammunition and a stun gun used in the kidnapping and beating.

Valladares previously admitted to being paid $1,000 for the job.

Liao’s skeletized remains were eventually discovered by a hiker June 12, 2019 near Mojave in the area of Cache Creek Road and Highway 58. The manner of death is undetermined, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office - Coroner Section.

Liao met with 34-year-old suspect Peicheng Shen, who used an alias at the time of the meeting. The latter lured Liao into a trap, promising him to help collect a debt from another person, according to Valladares’ plea agreement.

Liao was kidnapped in San Gabriel during a third meeting with Shen. He was lured to a minivan where Valladares was hiding. Valladares was the hired muscle used to intimidate, subdue and beat Liao who was driven away by Azusa man Alexis Ivan Romero Velez, 24.

“Liao entered the minivan and spoke in Chinese with Shen, who used a specific word to signal Valladares to begin attacking the victim. Once Shen uttered the word, Valladares and Shen violently assaulted Liao, used a taser to subdue him, and ultimately bound and restrained him with a black hood and ties,” according to the plea agreement.

Velez was recruited by Valladares, court papers stated.

Once taken to Rosemead, Liao was then transported in another vehicle by Shen and Guangyao Yang, 27, to a home in Corona where Liao was stuffed in a closet. His legs were bound, his eyes taped shut and his arms restrained behind him, court papers stated.

Liao’s father received a ransom demand for $2 million one day after the kidnapping. The father received “proof of life” images of his son bound and restrained in the closet, court papers stated.

Liao died while restrained in Corona by Shen and Yang. Valladares was apparently not present, court papers stated.

Investigators believe Liao died July 17, 2018. The Following day, his body was likely disposed of.

Investigators found their way to the Corona home. The closet where Liao was held captive received new carpeting. Internet searches conducted by Yang sought information on how long a human body decomposes in soil, court papers stated.

Shen and Yang fled to China, but were eventually captured and are still being held by Chinese authorities on charges related to the case.

Shen and Yang were charged with kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap, attempted extortion in violation of the Hobbs Act and threat by foreign communication, investigators said.

Romero Pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to kidnapping. He is scheduled to be sentenced February 4, 2021.

Valladares is scheduled for a February 18, 2021 hearing and may face a maximum statutory sentence of life in federal prison. The prosecution and defense agreed that a sentence of 12 years, but no more than 25 is an appropriate sentence.

Mt. BALDY – A bear of unknown size entered a cabin in the early morning hours Thursday and fled before deputies arrived.

A man alone in the cabin in the 20 block of Bear Drive called deputies around 2:45 a.m. October 8 after he heard the bear rummaging around, according to Lt. Ed MacKenzie of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s San Dimas Station.