Four Charged with Kidnapping Following AMBER Alert

Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced charges filed against Holly Smith, Joey Jimenez, Eric Jimenez, and Jose Francisco Robles-Prieto for their alleged roles in the kidnapping of Smith's one-year-old daughter.
 
On February 21, 2025, a hearing was held in Third District Juvenile Court, where a judge ordered Smith's daughter, J.J., into state custody. After the judge's decision, Smith fled the courthouse. A Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) case worker, D.D., then went to Smith's last known residence with a court order to take J.J. into state custody. When D.D. arrived, Smith and J.J. were not there; D.D. then contacted N.C., whose residence was listed on J.J.'s DCFS safety plan. N.C. said that Smith was seen getting into a vehicle earlier in the day with Joey Jimenez and Eric Jimenez. N.C. provided text messages between herself and Joey Jimenez in which he asked N.C. for money to get Eric Jimenez, Smith, and J.J. a room to hide out at. N.C. notified Joey Jimenez of police involvement and encouraged him to surrender the baby.
 
Police spoke with Eric Jimenez, who reported that he had not seen Smith or J.J. and had nothing to say. Eric Jimenez was taken into custody for obstructing the investigation.
 
Police then spoke with Joey Jimenez, who said he took Smith and J.J.  to another location near 1300 South at the Jordan River Trail. Joey Jimenez provided access to his phone, which showed multiple text messages and phone calls about where to hide J.J. and Smith.  Joey Jimenez was taken into custody for impeding the investigation; after, he told police he dropped off Smith and J.J. near 1700 South and the Jordan River Trail, and he provided a phone number for Smith. Police activated an exigency ping.
 
Post-Miranda, Joey Jimenez told police he took care of J.J. while Smith was at her hearing and that after, he was told by N.C., his sister, that Smith "just took off from the courthouse." Smith called Eric Jimenez and asked him to pick her up at a location on North Temple. Joey Jimenez and Eric Jimenez picked up Smith, and J.J. was already in the vehicle with the brothers that had been caring for J.J. Joey Jimenez took Smith to a store near 800 South and 900 West, Smith then asked him to take her to 1700 South. When they arrived at the location, Smith got out of the vehicle, grabbed J.J., and left.
 
During the search for J.J., police spoke with D.G. and A.P., the landlords of, Jose Robles-Prieto, J.J.'s biological father. D.G. said he was with Robles-Prieto when the AMBER Alert was issued, and D.G. gave Robles-Prieto a ride to the area of 1700 South and the Jordan River Trail. While police waited for the landlords to arrive at one of their vacant residencies so police could check if Smith was there, D.G. called police and told them that he could see Robles-Prieto and Smith walking east on 1300 South from Redwood Road, and Smith had a blanket over her head. While driving north on Redwood Road, an officer observed two individuals—one was wrapped in a white blanket and the other was pushing a shopping cart. When officers stopped, Robles-Prieto identified himself, but the woman identified herself as Emily Marie Sullivan. When police asked Robles-Prieto the woman's name, he said he barely knew her. Police were able to determine from tattoos that she was Smith. As Smith was being handcuffed, she told police, "She's right there, she's in there," while nodding towards the shopping cart.
 
Robles-Prieto told police that when the AMBER Alert happened, D.G. took him to where Smith was last seen. Robles-Prieto said she told him that she fled the courthouse, picked up J.J. from a friend, and did not return home. Robles-Prieto said he invited Smith and J.J. to stay with him "until they figured out their next steps," and then placed J.J. in a shopping cart as they made their way back to his home.
 
Holly Smith is charged with one count of first-degree felony child kidnapping, one count of Class A misdemeanor child abuse, and one count of Class C misdemeanor providing a peace officer false personal information.
 
Jose Robles-Prieto is charged with one count of first-degree felony child kidnapping and one count of second-degree felony obstruction of justice.
 
Joey Jimenez is charged with one count of first-degree felony kidnapping.
 
Eric Jimenez is charged with one count of first-degree felony kidnapping and one count of second-degree felony obstructing justice.
 
"We appreciate the people in our community who helped police get the information they needed to help find this baby and take her to safety. The vigilance of every citizen during an AMBER Alert can help save a child's life," said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. "All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."