Colombian national admits guilt in kidnapping U.S. soldiers

14 December 2024 , 18:59

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Colombian national admits guilt in kidnapping U.S. soldiers

Pedro Silva Ochoa pleaded guilty to kidnapping and assaulting U.S. soldiers in Bogotá.

A Colombian national pleaded guilty to drugging, kidnapping, and assaulting two American soldiers, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement.

Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, a.k.a. “Tata”, 47, of Bogotá, and his accomplices kidnapped two U.S. soldiers who were on temporary duty in Bogotá. The two victims, identified only as “L.G.” and “E.L.”, were on active duty and considered internationally protected persons, according to court documents shared with OCCRP.

On Mar. 5, 2020, the two went to a pub in Bogotá’s entertainment district to watch a soccer game, where Silva Ochoa and his partners Arango Castellanos, a.k.a. “Harry Potter”; and Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran spotted them.

Upon targeting the soldiers, one of the kidnappers proceeded to spike the soldiers’ drinks with benzodiazepine, a drug that slows down brain and nervous system activity. The drug is known to be widely used in various date-rape scenarios.

The kidnappers then forcibly escorted L.G. and E.L. to a waiting car outside, driven by Silva Ochoa, court documents said. They then proceeded to rob the victims of their wallets, credit cards, and cell phones.

The cards were used to make several purchases and withdrawals. The two soldiers did not regain consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated from each other.

Silva Ochoa was extradited from Chile to the U.S. in May 2024. He is the second co-defendant to plead guilty to the kidnapping plot, the DOJ said.

Harry Potter was sentenced in May to 48 years and nine months in prison, following his extradition and guilty plea in 2023. Uribe Chiran was extradited from Colombia in September; his trial is scheduled for February 2025.

Pursuant to his plea agreement, Silva Ochoa pleaded guilty to kidnap an internationally protected person. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled; he faces a potential maximum penalty of life in prison.

David Wilson