Logan man who kidnapped child, requested ransom pleads guilty to assault

LOGAN — A Logan man accused of assaulting a woman and kidnapping her child, then requesting a ransom for the infant, has pleaded guilty to some of the criminal charges filed against him.

Renan A. Alvarez, 50, and a woman he lived with were working from home on July 8 when he became "frustrated with work," charges said. The woman attempted to calm him down, but they got into an argument.

The woman told police she got up to walk to the pantry when Alvarez threw his cell phone at her, followed her to the pantry, and pushed her to the ground. Charges state he then got on top of her and put both hands around her throat, strangling her for about a minute.

An 8-year-old child was present while the assault occurred and the woman yelled to the child to call 911, charges state. When Alvarez realized what the child was doing, he slapped the woman with tortilla shells from the pantry and left the pantry, charges said.

The woman went to check on an 11-month-old infant in a stroller near the pantry and dialed 911 on her own phone. Alvarez saw her calling 911, ran towards her and smashed her phone after dispatch answered, charges said.

"The woman tried to get away, but (Alvarez) grabbed her and put her in a headlock with forearm against her throat and strangled her a second time," charges said.

The woman hit him in the stomach with her elbow and was able to get away, but he grabbed a chair and smashed it into another chair, police said. She tried to get her infant out of the stroller, but Alvarez grabbed the child, took the car keys and went to the garage.

Alvarez told the woman, who was trying to keep the garage door closed, that "if she didn't want him to hurt the child, to open the door," charges said. She opened the door and he started backing out before it was fully opened, damaging the door in the process, before fleeing the scene with the child.

When police arrived, the woman gave them a fanny pack belonging to Alvarez that had drugs and drug paraphernalia inside. Police also noted bruising and swelling on the woman.

Three weeks later, Alvarez contacted the woman through his sister, saying he would drop off the 11-month-old if she brought him $6,000 in cash and he planned to leave the state, according to the charges.

The woman arrived at the meet-up location with Alvarez, gave him the money, and got the infant back before police arrested him. In police interviews, he admitted the property damage and driving without the child in a car seat, but denied strangling the woman.

Police said Alvarez does not have a valid license, having only been issued a Utah ID card.

Alvarez was charged in July with two counts of aggravated kidnapping, both first-degree felonies and one enhanced by domestic violence; two counts of domestic violence-related aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child and property damage, third-degree felonies; five class B misdemeanors for domestic violence assault, possession of controlled substance and drug paraphernalia and damage to a communications device; and infractions for driving without a valid license and failing to provide a child restraint device.

On Sept. 28, Alvarez pleaded guilty to just four charges: aggravated assault, domestic violence in the presence of a child and property damage, third-degree felonies, and a class B misdemeanor of possession of a controlled substance.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the remaining counts and recommend he receive no prison time, credit for time served, and concurrent terms. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 9.

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