SWAT team rescues adult kidnapping victim from Newport Beach

By Hannah FryStaff Writer

Feb. 21, 2017 11:45 AM PT

A man kidnapped during a drug deal in Newport Beach was rescued by a SWAT team shortly before midnight Sunday in Anaheim, police said.

The Santa Monica Police Department notified Newport Beach police about 6:20 p.m. Saturday that a possible kidnapping had occurred in the city during a drug deal.

Newport police began investigating and determined that the suspects and victim were in Anaheim, where the victim was being held against his will, police said.

Shortly before midnight Sunday, the Newport Beach police SWAT team responded to the location in Anaheim, arrested two men and freed another man, who was unharmed.

Steele Malone Burnside, 28, of Anaheim, and Nicolas Andres Hernandez, 29, of Murrieta were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and extortion, police said.

Police are investigating the events leading up to the alleged kidnapping. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call Detective Sgt. Ryan Peters at (949)644-3790.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN

Hannah Fry

Hannah Fry covers breaking news for the Los Angeles Times. She most recently covered Orange County for The Times and has written extensively about criminal trials, housing, politics and government. In 2020, Fry was part of the team that was a Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of a boat fire that killed 34 people off the coast of Santa Barbara. Fry came to The Times from the Daily Pilot, where she covered coastal cities, education and crime. An Orange County native, Fry started her career as an intern at the Orange County Register.