Second man guilty in Colombian drugging, kidnapping of US soldiers

The second of three defendants charged within the drugging and kidnapping of two U.S. Military troopers in Colombia in 2020 pleaded responsible in federal court docket not too long ago.

Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, 47, of Bogota, Colombia, often known as “Tata,” pleaded responsible to a conspiracy cost related to the kidnapping. As of Monday, a sentencing date had not been set, in keeping with a prosecutor’s launch.

Prosecutors mentioned that Ochoa, together with two different people, focused two U.S. troopers who they encountered at an area bar whereas watching a soccer sport.

What the 2 troopers thought could be an evening of consuming as a substitute resulted within the pair being drugged and robbed, with one winding up within the hospital and the opposite again at his residence with virtually no reminiscence of the earlier night time.

Court docket paperwork didn’t checklist the troopers’ names or to which unit they’re assigned. The pair was on momentary responsibility within the nation on the time of the incident.

America extradited Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, 37, from Colombia in Might 2023. Authorities extradited Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran, 35, of Bogota, in September. Officers extradited Ochoa from Chile in Might.

Castellanos pleaded responsible in January to costs of conspiracy, kidnapping and assault of an internationally protected particular person, in keeping with court docket paperwork.

A federal decide sentenced him to 48 years in jail.

Chiran’s trial is scheduled for November. If convicted, she could possibly be sentenced to as much as 20 years.

Castellanos approached the 2 troopers within the early morning hours, in keeping with a Colombian Nationwide Police investigation that included video surveillance footage described in court docket paperwork.

He then spiked the troopers’ drinks with benzodiazepines, a category of medication that causes drowsiness and incapacitation.

As one of many troopers went as much as a lady on the bar at 1:46 a.m., Castellanos stepped in, placing his hand on the soldier’s shoulder and main him to the again of the bar, in keeping with court docket paperwork.

About 20 minutes later, the soldier stumbled towards the bar’s exit with Castellanos following behind him.

Castellanos then went again to the bar round 2:24 a.m. to escort the equally drugged second soldier out of the bar with two different people, in keeping with the Justice Division.

One of many different defendants bought right into a car with the 2 troopers, and the group drove across the metropolis whereas Castellanos visited a number of ATM cubicles, withdrawing money from the debit playing cards he’d stolen from the troopers, data present.

The three defendants finally let the troopers go. One of many troopers fell, placing his face. Police arrived and transported the soldier to a medical facility. The opposite soldier made it again to his lodging however had no reminiscence of how he bought there.