U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe | U.S. Department of Justice
A Colombian national has entered a guilty plea for his involvement in the kidnapping and assault of two U.S. Army soldiers stationed temporarily in Bogotá, Colombia. The incident occurred on March 5, 2020, when Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, aged 47, along with his accomplices, targeted the soldiers in an entertainment district where they were watching a soccer match.
Court documents reveal that the assailants incapacitated the victims by drugging their drinks with substances including benzodiazepines. Once incapacitated, the soldiers were escorted into a vehicle driven by Silva Ochoa. They were subsequently robbed of their wallets, debit and credit cards, and cell phones. The perpetrators used these to make purchases and withdraw funds while the victims remained unconscious until the next day.
Silva Ochoa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person under a plea agreement. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge who will consider various guidelines and statutory factors.
Silva Ochoa was extradited from Chile to the United States in May. He is one of three defendants involved in this criminal scheme. Co-defendant Arango Castellanos was also extradited from Colombia and received a sentence of over 48 years after pleading guilty earlier this year. Another co-defendant, Uribe Chiran, is awaiting trial scheduled for February 2025.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole A. Argentieri; and Special Agent Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office.
The investigation was led by the FBI Miami Field Office’s Extraterritorial Squad with support from multiple international offices and authorities in Colombia and Chile.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez along with Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen are handling prosecution duties for this case.
