Under Penal Law §135.25, Kidnapping in the First Degree occurs when a person abducts another and:
- Seeks ransom;
- Confines the victim over 12 hours with intent to injure; or
- The victim dies.
“Abduction” means restraining someone to prevent their liberation by hiding them or using/threatening deadly force.
Conviction carries an indeterminate sentence—between 15 to life and 25 to life. It’s treated as seriously as Murder under NY law.
Historically, kidnapping often involves children—over 330,000 youth missing person reports were filed in 2021 alone. National organizations assist in recovery efforts.