ANyone know the deatails of this?

Joshua Holt, returned missionary and his Venzuelan wife were jailed two years ago.

There are reports this morning that he has been released?

Here's a story that says Josh and his family will be visiting the Trump White House at 7pm today.

The story goes on to not say that the Venezuelans decided that they only had two choices: eat him or set him free... There was a spirited debate!

...this should serve as a warning to any LDS parent who assumes that sending their child (with little or no money for "mordida") to a third-world country like Venezuela, could be complicit in an endangerment situation. LDS Inc. should get a better understanding of their legal responsibilities (if any)....idiots.

From what I read, he was off his mission, and went back to Venezuela to marry the girl he fell in love with.

There was some raids happening in the area, and the place where he was staying was raided as well. He was accused of having guns

So he wasnt a missionary at the time of his arrest.

...well, then this guy who meets a nice girl returns to Venezuela to get married (w/gun)? gets busted? Surprise...who woulda' thought....yeah...idiot.

+1

Why does the US spend our tax dollars on law breakers?

Oh yeah. They’re religious law breakers.

Just don’t be a Catholic Mexican coming into the US! Those people need to follow THE LAW!!!

He says he was framed. That the weapons he was charged with possessing were not his.

It certainly does raise questions. Glad he's been freed.

Amyjo Wrote:
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> He says he was framed. That the weapons he was
> charged with possessing were not his.
>
> It certainly does raise questions. Glad he's been
> freed.


The Jails are full of those who are innocent. His plea is no different than that of many others.

He goes to a foreign country, or Alabama - he takes his chances.

Hey, exmo living in Alabama here. How dare you defame ....oh yeah, right. Alabama. This CA guy here remains a stranger in a strange land. Good college football .... Roll Tide.

The ordeal was God's punishment for marrying a Lamanite and sporting facial hair.

What about his wife? We hear how a "returned missionary" is being abused, as though his RM status makes this worse. But what about his wife?

As I understand it, after his mission, he went to Venezuela to marry her. While there, her home was raided and supposedly a rifle and a hand grenade were found. They both were dragged off to jail.

His parents use the RM status to keep him in the news.

I hope they are both safe. I understand she had kids too. Inhope she is with them soon.

Finally got the frickn article to open.

She's safe too and his mission was in Washington State.

It’s almost like he served two missions. I’d prefer the second one myself.

A lot of little pieces to this story. Josh Holt is a returned missionary that couldn't find a girl in Utah or the US. I understand that he is very naive and socially awkward. He met his "bride" online. She has two kids and I'm sure would do anything to get out of Venezuela. Josh went there while ignoring the advice and warnings from everyone including the US State Department. There are rules in Venezuela regarding marrying foreigners. There is a waiting period which Josh and his bride ignored. Any American is a potential kidnapping target. Just like certain parts of Mexico, usually they release you for a bribe. It was reported that they asked for 100K. I'm sure the gun and grenade charge, as well as the spy charge was all BS, but a reason to jail him for a payoff. However, Josh's mom, who seems to be as naive as Josh, instead of negotiating to get him out, went on every media outlet that would give her a minute, and ranted about Venezuelan President Maduro, calling him a corrupt, immoral criminal. She started facebook campaigns and Go Fund Me accounts. Most Americans really didn't care, Josh ignored all advice and common sense. Mrs. Holt ratcheted up her social media campaigns and continued calling Venezuela official names. She demanded his release. I think she thought that she was going to be the next Ed $mart and gain the sympathy of American people and government officials. After about a year, she took down most of her media sites and stopped calling Maduro names. Imagine how effective a foreign country mother, trying to get her son released from jail in the US, spent months calling T rump names and demanding him to release her son? I think we all know how well that would work. The fact that Josh was in a hostile country, sanctioned by the US and our allies, illegally marrying a local girl, plus being a mormon in an 85% catholic country added up to disaster. I'm glad he's out. He'll be part of H atch's and T rump's self congratulatory media tour for a few days. But watch him and his Mom try to get on every talk show and sign a book deal. Like I said, I'm glad he's out, but this was not a tragic or heroic cause. This was an arrogant, naive RM from Utah, causing his own situation that probably cost the US taxpayers millions of dollars. They should send him a bill.

StillAnon Wrote:
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> but this was not a tragic or
> heroic cause. This was an arrogant, naive RM from
> Utah, causing his own situation that probably cost
> the US taxpayers millions of dollars. They should
> send him a bill.

THANK YOU

+a google

I wouldn’t hold my breath. I suspect the State Department was tickled pink that it turned into such an embarrassment for Maduro (dang I could go for some fried bananas).

His mommy is already on the news being quoted that his release is a "miracle". So she also gets a few days of fame even if the miracle might have happened within days of his arrest if she'd chosen a wiser path.

Exactly. She's a media whore that loves the attention and mormon sympathy. Notice his Dad kept his mouth shut. If she would've done the same, instead of antagonizing a socialist party dictator, Josh would've probably been home in a month. I got so sick of her crying and ranting all over the local news, now we get to see her on national news as well. Mark my words, she won't go quietly into the night, she'll try to milk this for years while seeking to profit. She's got Ed Smart syndrome, except without the maturity, intellect or vocabulary.

"The man's an idiot for going to Venezuela, but we've all made stupid mistakes."

A stupid mistake is leaving your car in neutral, without the e-brake set, and having it roll down the street. Or, leaving your wallet/purse at a ball game. This guy ignored the advice of knowledgeable adults and the US Government, causing an international incident.

YES.

Maybe the US can now rescue some FLDSers.

Don't look that from Utah leaders that look at the FLDS, Allred's, Kingston's, etc.with nod and a wink. Now, Texas on the other hand.....

StillAnon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> A stupid mistake is leaving your car in neutral,
> without the e-brake set, and having it roll down
> the street.

Hey, it could happen to anyone. Besides what if it's your
first car with an e-brake so you're not used to it yet; and
what if you're in a store parking lot that LOOKS level.
Besides someone charging $150 to drive a mile and jack up your
car to get it off the pipe it's high-centered on--a process
lasting 10 minutes--is highway robbery.

I'm just mentioning this hypothetically, of course.

StillAnon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> She's got Ed Smart syndrome, except without the maturity,
> intellect or vocabulary.

Maybe he and Elizabeth's foundation can minister to Holt?

He paid tithing so he needed to scrimp on getting home maintenance workers instead of being able to afford licensed bonded contractors. And then when his family was blessed for his scrimping he was able to loudly proclaim how he belonged to this wondrously amazingly true, honest, and transparent church.

Heartless Wrote:
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> What about his wife?...But what about his wife?

A Venezuelan held prisoner in Venezuela isn't news in the US.

I figured it would be about two years. The man's an idiot for going to Venezuela, but we've all made stupid mistakes. He just paid a very high price for his. I'm glad that he's out.

Sorry, Summer. Posted this in the wrong place to reply.

"The man's an idiot for going to Venezuela, but we've all made stupid mistakes."

A stupid mistake is leaving your car in neutral, without the e-brake set, and having it roll down the street. Or, leaving your wallet/purse at a ball game. This guy ignored the advice of knowledgeable adults and the US Government, causing an international incident.

But he met lots of new and interesting people in an exotic locale. He’ll certainly know what he’s talking about when he tells people “Stay out of Venezuela, it’s a tourist trap”.

Babyloncansuckit Wrote:
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> But he met lots of new and interesting people in
> an exotic locale. He’ll certainly know what
> he’s talking about when he tells people “Stay
> out of Venezuela, it’s a tourist trap”.

And why do we pay for his learning? I don't recall signing up as Josh's sponsor abroad?

Getting Josh freed is bread-and-butter for the State Department and members of Congress. It's the type of work that they do every day. It's not like Josh is the first U.S. citizen to run afoul of a foreign government.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/2018 01:12AM by summer.

But, there are still 9 more Americans left in Venezuelan jails. What's the State Department doing about them?

Probably the same thing. Like I said, bread and butter. Not everyone is going to be freed at the same time. And some may never be freed depending on what they have been charged with.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/2018 12:19PM by summer.

Yeah, but nobody asks your permission before a drone blows up a wedding either.

The most important issue as I see it is:

Is the Venezuelan wife and her kids BAPTIZED AND CONVERTED?

Oh, and is Holt a FULL PAYING TITHER WITH CURRENT TR?

And, WERE THEY MARRIED AND SEALED TO HER KIDS IN TEMPLE?

Yea, write a thank you letter to Trump!

Trump doesn't want to hear from him. Trump doesn't like Americans that get captured, Remember?

StillAnon Wrote:
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> Trump doesn't want to hear from him. Trump doesn't
> like Americans that get captured, Remember?

Good point. Josh is a loser just like McCain.

Guess a gun wasn't enough to impress Trump.

Likely Trump's political payback to Orrin Hatch for his unquestioning support.

Or repatriating an American was just the right thing to do? Then there's the Canadian aid worker, with an American wife and three children, freed from the Taliban after several years imprisonment, and the three Americans held by North Korea.

As long as no ransom was paid, or terrorists exchanged, I'm happy for them.

"As long as no ransom was paid, or terrorists exchanged, I'm happy for them."

I wouldn't be so sure that no ransom was paid. That's how these things usually work. We'll probably never know. But it sickens me that this dumb ass is being welcomed home like a hero, prisoner of war. He caused this mess and now they're making him out to be a hero- he's not. The local news has "breaking news" every time he farts. They'll probably have a parade for him in Riverton-no shit.

My question exactly.

Sorry for derail but I wanted to respond to caffiend's reference to a Canadian hostage who recently returned home.

The Canadian "aid worker" is in a different category than the others mentioned such as the US RM in South America and the three US men still held in NK.

Joshua Boyle and his American (2nd) wife reportedly went to Afghanistan on a "backpacking trip" (which would not likely be the dream destination for most people, more a place you would studiously avoid) when they were captured by Taliban and held for five years. They were released in Oct/17, along with their three kids, all born in captivity (I shudder to think of the conditions). The couple reported that a fourth child, their infant daughter, was killed which I took literally at first, but it seems from newspaper reports that the captors caused a miscarriage, still horrific but seems it could have been worse.

Aside: Both Joshua and his wife were brought up in Christian families, it is reported, and both were home-schooled.

Turns out Joshua's first wife is the sister of a well-known person in Canada these days, a former inhabitant of Guantanamo Bay (held for years as a US prisoner for killing US service personnel; as he was a Cdn citizen he was eventually returned here). She apparently lived for a time in the compound of a notorious US enemy (now deceased). Joshua apparently had a fascination with all that crowd.

So he and his family returned home to Canada in Oct/17. Bizarrely, a short time later, Mr. Boyle was charged with several very severe offences, including sexual abuse, and was put in jail here in Canada (not the happy outcome many were anticipating after their release). No information has been released about the ID of his victims or any circumstances related to the case, not unusual with sexual abuse/assault offences. He awaits trial.

I can't discuss this in too much detail as (1) it's a long way from the topic of this thread, (2) is quite off topic for this board and (3) is fraught by nature. I just wanted to reply to the "Canadian aid worker" comment - that designation gives a vastly different picture than what the reality actually is, very unfortunately.

Here are two newspaper stories about Mr. Joshua Boyle and what has turned out to be the insalubrious tale of his life (still, have to say, as his legal matters are before the court, that he is, after all, innocent until proven guilty and especially as not many details are publicly known at this time):

CBC:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/joshua-boyle-ottawa-charges-1.4470475


National Post:

http://nationalpost.com/feature/joshua-boyle



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2018 12:19AM by Nightingale.

That probably has a much more contributing influence than people realize.

Not trying to diminsh his story but how do you come out of a terrible overcrowded prison in a country where people are starving and post your pleas about riots on facebook. What am I missing, he looks well fed
from what I saw. Like he never missed a meal.

Maybe we should send the stupid fucker back?

They probably fattened him up prior to his release. I doubt they wanted to look bad by sending him home the way NK sent home Otto.

He probably sucked some guys dick to use a smuggled cell phone. Cell phones are smuggled into prisons quite often and sexual favors are common currency in prison.

I don’t doubt the guys story, nor belittile him for coming home. Foreign prisons suck.

Right? I've followed this story from the beginning. (It's hard not to if you live in Utah and read/watch the news). Every 2 months, Josh's mom was crying on TV that Josh had life threatening malady that was going to kill him in a few weeks. A huge tapeworm. Kidney failure. Separated, and possibly broken, shoulder. Scabbies (really). Severe head trauma from falling out of his bunk. Starvation by the guards. You name it, he had it. Maybe her pleas worked (other than disparaging Maduro every week on facebook). Maybe she bugged Hatch so much that he pressured Trump to make a deal just to shut her up? Regardless, Josh must be the most resilient patient ever. He miraculously recovered from his injuries, with no medical treatment, and managed to come home, after 2 years in prison, still 50+ pounds overweight. Heavens!! It must be a miracle!!!

You probably won't hear much from Josh Holt in 3 months.

Check out his wife's Facebook page which is open to the public (Thamy Holt) and the general "Justiceforjosh" (all together, no spaces) page. He is telling people he is working on a book, complaining that "my government" is making him go through the legal channels of adjusting his wife's immigration status in the US, and saying that he was born in the US and doesn't care about the problems in Venezuela. The wife's Facebook page has pics of them in NYC on the today show, Telemundo in Miami, and also that Josh is launching a career as a speaker.

Saw this on the local news.

Missionary my f-in ass!!!

He is 26 now. Has been in jail since age of 24. Met his wife ONLINE while learning Spanish.

This had ZERO ZERO ZERO to do with him ever having been either a missionary or a return missionary.

He had been well off his mission.

"This had ZERO ZERO ZERO to do with him ever having been either a missionary or a return missionary."

Well, his going there had nothing to do with anything (other than the RM status didn't land him a Utah girl). But, do you think Orrin Hatch would've got so motivated if it was an American Methodist that was locked up? Every picture his mother posted was of him either in missionary uniform or his wedding pic.

I love this forum! All of you who read and post here are intelligent and no one can pull the wool over your eyes! This Josh Holt went against all common sense and logic and damn the torpedos, full speed ahead, it's off to Venezuela he goes! The bill for the expense involved for his release should go to him and his parents; after all, it'll be a drop in the bucket compared to the money they will all be making from movie,book, and TV offers.

All we hear is how the Venuzuelans are starving. How did he manage to stay fat for 2 years in prison?

I'm glad he's home and ok (looking at him he definitely didn't miss any meals). KSL was calling him a hero which is an insult to all heroes. He is an idiot that did something incredibly stupid, and was lucky enough to make it through the ordeal.

The State Department should revoke his passport.

Morally he needs to make some kind of amends to the tax payers.

Both KSL and D-News are calling him a hero. On Memorial Day. He was originally going to come home on Tuesday. Then, his hometown, Riverton, was going to have a Memorial Day remembrance yesterday afternoon. Somehow, miraculously, he left the hospital to fly to Utah yesterday. Riverton decided to delay things so Josh could be there, and make it a Josh Holt welcoming-on Memorial Day. He arrived in SLC airport, draped himself with an American flag-on Memorial Day. The day we remember those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for all Americans, and this asshole is wrapping himself in the flag. Instead of treating him as the dipshit that ignored all warnings, to go get his mail (email?) order bride, like the idiot he is, they're making him the next Elizabeth Smart. Just wait for the talk show circuit. I almost puked when a reporter asked Orrin Hatch why they released him, Hatch said, no shit, "They understand, now, how important our missionaries are. Hatch is trying to spin it to make the press believe that this dork was abducted as a missionary in Venezuela. The funny part is that no Utah girls wanted to date him, even as a RM, so he found a convert that wanted to get out of Venezuela (can't blame her). He went to Venezuela so he, at 24, could finally get laid. Ironic part is, that 2 years in prison, he probably had tons of sex. Just not the kind he dreamed about. He owes America a big "thank you" and an apology and then fade away.

According to other posts, Utah in general and LDS is milking Holt's PR as much as possible, exaggerating his "ordeal" and pumping his "heroics." How might we expect him to be further exploited? And financially compensated?

Brought under the wing of an LDS sugar daddy with a lucrative, non-demanding job?
Visiting chapels for inspirational talks?
As an RM, is he qualified to give firesides?
Other options?

There's also the possibility that he doesn't have much to offer after all this dies down. "You can't polish a sneaker," as they say. It will be interesting if he shares dramatic faith-affirming anecdotes which get contradicted later.

I think they'll try the Elizabeth Smart angle. Just like Hatch is already spinning. However, Elizabeth's nightmare was real, and not self inflicted, like Josh's. Watch him show up on one or two talk shows to try to gain book deals or movie contracts. Problem is, guys like me will inform NY Times, WaPost, CNN, etc, what a phony "hero" this guy is. My guess? They'll try, get shot down, and Josh and his Mom will have to settle for only being a Utah hero.
The US government still needs to send them a bill for the tax dollars wasted getting him out of Venezuela.

Maybe Venezuela isn't as bad as North Korea yet.