PHILADELPHIA, PA — A federal jury has convicted two Philadelphia men, Christopher Burton, 45, and Khalil Jackson-Fletcher, 33, on multiple charges tied to two violent kidnapping plots, including one that held an entire family — and an infant — hostage for days while the victims were beaten, tortured, and extorted for tens of thousands of dollars.
The convictions, announced Thursday by U.S. Attorney David Metcalf, stem from a series of coordinated abductions in December 2021 and February 2022. Both men were found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, multiple counts of kidnapping, Hobbs Act robbery, and firearms offenses.
According to federal prosecutors, Burton masterminded the operations to extort money from individuals he personally knew. In the first incident, Burton lured a victim using a fake online advertisement for vending machines. When the victim arrived at a meeting spot in Northeast Philadelphia, Jackson-Fletcher and an accomplice abducted him at gunpoint. Over several hours, the victim was zip-tied, robbed of his phone and wallet, and forced to withdraw more than $15,000 before being released.
The second case, which occurred in February 2022, was even more severe. The two men and a third co-conspirator kidnapped a local businessman outside his home and held him captive for three days. During this time, the victim, his wife, and their infant were confined and subjected to repeated physical abuse. The abductors extracted $25,000 via wire transfer, forced additional cash withdrawals, and even compelled the victim to take out a large advance at a casino. Prosecutors said the perpetrators burned, choked, and tortured the victims during their captivity.
Burton and Jackson-Fletcher are scheduled for sentencing on November 18. Both face mandatory minimum sentences of 34 years in prison, with potential maximums of life.
Federal authorities described the crimes as exceptionally cruel. “The lengths the defendants went to — to steal other people’s hard-earned money — are chilling,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “This verdict ensures these violent offenders don’t walk free to hurt anyone else.”
Law enforcement leaders, including ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Shannon Hamm and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel, praised the coordinated efforts that led to the convictions and emphasized the severity of the crimes. Investigators from the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department led the case, with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Jeanette Kang and Anthony Carissimi and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Izabella Babchinetskaya.
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