Utah Man Arrested for Holding Girlfriend's Family Hostage for Six Months with Fake Cartel Threat

Officers with the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake responded to a home on Saturday after receiving a call from someone claiming he and his family had been held hostage

A Utah man has been arrested after allegedly holding his pregnant girlfriend and six of her family members hostage for six months under the false pretense that a drug cartel was threatening their lives.

Dominic Christopher Garcia, 23, was taken into custody on Saturday by the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake and is facing multiple felony charges, including seven counts each of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, hazing with a dangerous weapon, and making violent threats.

Police responded to a residence in Millcreek, Utah, after receiving a distress call from a family member claiming that Garcia had been holding them captive. According to authorities, the family finally overpowered Garcia and held him at gunpoint until officers arrived.

Court documents reveal that Garcia had convinced the family that members of a cartel were watching them and would kill them if they disobeyed his instructions. He used this fabricated threat to control the household, limit their movements, and instill ongoing fear. He later admitted to fabricating the entire story, telling officers that he continued the deception because he didn’t know how to stop and feared being rejected by the family.

The situation began in December 2024, when Garcia moved into the home with his pregnant girlfriend. The father of the girlfriend, referred to in court records as “RS,” said that Garcia quickly claimed his family was involved with a criminal organization and warned that compliance with certain rules was necessary for survival.

Garcia reportedly gained access to firearms, including a 10mm handgun purchased by the girlfriend's father. He would carry the weapon around the home, allegedly pointing it at family members in what he called a “game.” One relative stated Garcia pointed the gun at her and threatened to kill her for communicating with a friend, claiming it was an offense that the cartel wanted punished.

Police said Garcia routinely monitored the family's phones and interrogated them about their communications. He also reportedly restricted how long family members could leave the house and became verbally aggressive if they exceeded his imposed limits.

After his arrest, Garcia confessed that the cartel threat was entirely made up, and he had fabricated the story to control the family. He is currently being held without bond at the Salt Lake County Jail due to concerns for the family’s safety if he were released.