Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Keith F. Dunn, Chief of Police, Miramar Police Department, announce today’s conviction of defendant Joel Wayne Griffin, Jr., 22, of Miramar, on kidnapping charges.

According to the evidence presented at trial in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, Griffin brutally assaulted and tortured his girlfriend in August 2011 after mistakenly believing that she had been unfaithful to him. For three consecutive days, Griffin held the victim against her will in a residence they shared in Miramar. During that time, Griffin beat the victim, cut her with a knife, pulled hair out of her head, and burned her with a cigarette lighter, causing third degree burns on various parts of her body. To prevent her from calling the police, Griffin took the victim’s cell phone, money and car keys. He then forced her to go with him to Wilmington, Delaware where he hid out in hotels and at a cousin’s residence. After being in Delaware for about four days, the victim disclosed the abuse and kidnapping to one of Griffin’s cousins who called the Wilmington Police Department. Soon thereafter, the victim was rescued and the defendant was arrested.

Griffin will be sentenced before the U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley in West Palm Beach on a date to be determined by the court. Griffin faces a maximum term of life imprisonment on the kidnapping charges.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Miramar Police Department, and the Wilmington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Dispoto and Roger Stefin.

mmended IRS-CID for its investigation of the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis.

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A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.