Joint Press Release: Hossein Nayeri Extradition
The following is a Joint Press Release between the Orange County District Attorney's Office and the Newport Beach Police Department. Contact information is listed at the end of the message.
FUGITIVE, WHO FLED TO IRAN, EXTRADITED TO ORANGE COUNTY FROM CZECH REPUBLIC FOR KIDNAPPING, TORTURE, AND
SEXUAL MUTILATION OF MARIJUANA DISPENSARY OWNER
SANTA ANA – A fugitive who fled to Iran and was arrested in the Czech Republic has been extradited to Orange County for the kidnapping, torture, and sexual mutilation of a marijuana dispensary owner. Defendant Hossein Nayeri, 35, is charged with two felony counts of kidnapping for ransom and one felony count each of aggravated mayhem, torture, and first degree residential burglary, with a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury. He is being held without bail and faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. He is expected to be arraigned tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.
Co-defendants Kyle Shirakawa Handley, 35, Ryan Anthony Kevorkian, 35, and Naomi Josette Rhodus (formerly Naomi Kevorkian), 34, face the same charges and maximum sentence as Nayeri and are scheduled for a preliminary hearing Oct. 15, 2014, in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Handley is being held without bail and Ryan and Rhodus are being held on $1 million bail each.
Extradition
After the crime (described below), Nayeri is accused of fleeing the United States to Iran, where he remained for several months. On Nov. 7, 2013, he was arrested by the Czech Republic Fugitive Unit, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in the airport in Prague while transferring flights from Iran to Spain to visit family. The defendant faced extradition proceedings in the Czech Republic.
Nayeri was extradited yesterday back to Orange County, Sept. 15, 2014, and was escorted by the FBI and Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD).
The FBI Orange County, FBI Legal Attaches in Prague, Czech Republic Fugitive Unit, and Department of Justice Office of International Affairs provided assistance locating, arresting, and facilitating the extradition of Nayeri.
NBPD investigated this criminal case and Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy of the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) Office is prosecuting this case. Deputy District Attorney Erin Rowe of the Special Prosecutions Unit handled the extradition for the OCDA.
Circumstances of the Crime
At the time of the crime, victim John Doe owned a lucrative marijuana dispensary business.
Prior to October 2012, John Doe took several marijuana growers, from whom he purchased marijuana for his dispensary, to Las Vegas for an extravagant and expensive weekend. Handley is accused of being among the growers who participated in the trip.
After the trip to Las Vegas, Handley is accused of telling friends Nayeri and Ryan Kevorkian that the victim was extremely wealthy. The defendants are accused of devising a plan to kidnap and rob John Doe.
Four weeks prior to the kidnapping, the defendants are accused of video surveiling the victim’s home and following him as he made frequent trips to the desert. John Doe regularly drove to the desert to discuss a possible investment deal, but the defendants are accused of wrongly believing that the victim was driving to the desert to bury large amounts of cash.
Approximately one week prior to the kidnapping, Nayeri is accused of committing a routine traffic violation in Newport Beach, and subsequently leading NBPD on a high-speed chase when they attempted a stop. He is accused of crashing his car and fleeing on foot, and was able to escape at that time. Inside the abandoned car, Nayeri is accused of leaving surveillance equipment and videos, which at that time had no criminal significance.
On Oct. 2, 2012, Handley, Nayeri, and Ryan Kevorkian are accused of entering John Doe’s home with the intent to kidnap and rob him. Once inside, they are accused of zip-tying the victim’s wrists and torturing him, including severely beating him. They are accused of kidnapping the victim and putting him in a van. They are also accused of zip-tying and kidnapping Jane Doe, who was John Doe’s roommate’s girlfriend who happened to be in the home at the time. Before fleeing the scene, they are accused of stealing a large amount of cash from the home.
The defendants are accused of driving the victims to the desert near the area where they believed John Doe was hiding money. They are accused of continuing to torture John Doe throughout the drive by burning him with a blow torch. Once in the desert, the defendants are accused of sexually mutilating the victim by cutting off his penis. They are accused of pouring bleach on the victim in an effort to destroy any DNA evidence and dumping both victims on the side of the road. Jane Doe was not physically harmed.
Handley, Nayeri, and Ryan Kevorkian are accused of fleeing the scene and taking the victim’s penis with them so that it could never be reattached. Jane Doe ran over a mile to a main road in the dark, while still bound with zip ties, and flagged down a police car.
John Doe spent an extensive period of time in the hospital recovering from his injuries.
Investigation and Arrests
NBPD began investigating this complex case and conducted a canvas on the neighborhood. A witness had been suspicious of a car parked outside John Doe’s home on Oct. 2, 2012, and documented the license plate. Handley is accused of being the registered owner of that car.
Handley is accused of being in possession of evidence from the crime in his home. Nayeri is accused of being linked to the crime through DNA found on that evidence. Two additional DNA profiles were found on the evidence but were unidentified at that time.
After Nayeri was identified as a suspect, NBPD determined the link between the kidnapping and the video surveillance equipment and footage found in the defendant’s vehicle a week before the crime.
Through extensive investigation, NBPD identified Ryan Kevorkian and Rhodus as defendants. After months of investigation, both are accused of being linked to the unidentified DNA on the evidence in Handley’s home. Rhous is accused of participating in the plan to kidnap and torture John Doe.
Ryan Kevorkian and Rhodus were arrested Nov. 8, 2013, in Fresno by NBPD detectives.
After the crime, Nayeri is accused of fleeing to Iran. (Extradition information provided above).
Contacts
Susan Kang Schroeder
Chief of Staff
Orange County District Attorney
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami
Director of Public Affairs
Orange County District Attorney
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486
Jennifer Manzella
Press Information Officer
Newport Beach Police Department
Office: 949-644-3662
Address/Location
Newport Beach Police Department
870 Santa Barbara Dr
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1