A Detroit man has been sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to federal kidnapping charges, officials said. 

Semaj Ayers, 23, pleaded guilty in March 2025.

Federal prosecutors allege that Cortez Blake, 23, and Nasir Lewis, 24, both of Detroit, worked with others to kidnap and assault a victim whom they wrongly believed was involved in carjacking Blake's vehicle. 

Officials said a group of armed men took the victim from Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit and drove to an empty lot, where they first beat the victim and then took the victim to a residence controlled by Blake, where the victim was held at gunpoint and assaulted periodically for several hours. 

The victim was left abandoned on the side of the road, miles away. 

Prosecutors say the victim was kidnapped as retaliation and to extract information. 

In all, seven people were charged with conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping in connection with the alleged incident, and six have been convicted. Officials say Blake and Lewis were convicted of kidnapping at trial, while Maijah Greene, 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap. Ayers, Shatonnia Kimbrough, 21, and Armond Williams, 22, all pleaded guilty to kidnapping. 

A seventh defendant was acquitted at trial.

The two people who prosecutors say were responsible for taking Blake's vehicle were also convicted. 

Jamar Lee-Stinson pleaded guilty to carjacking and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison in May 2024. Amiaya Bryant also pleaded guilty to carjacking and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in June 2024, according to federal prosecutors. 

"Gang violence destroys the ability of innocent people in our community to simply go about their business. These defendants tried to take vengeance against another group and committed horrible violent crimes. And they kidnapped the wrong person to boot," said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., in a statement. "We will do everything in our power to end this violence. The sentences imposed here—and the prosecutions we are bringing—are just the beginning."