The U.S. Marshals, working with the Department of State, and Panamanian Officials received custody of a man whom the Austin Police Department had sought on a warrant issued May 17, 2024, for aggravated kidnapping.
Brayan Estiven Rios, 29, a Colombian national, was wanted by the Austin Police for a robbery that occurred on July 19, 2022, in the 2500 block of Francisco Street.
According to the affidavit, a victim reported having been forced into a vehicle at gunpoint and was further instructed to withdraw a large sum of money from her bank account.
In April, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, Department of Justice – Office of International Affairs, and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office communicated with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) to facilitate the extradition of Rios, who officials in Panama intercepted.
On May 22, Panamanian officials handed Ríos over to the US Marshals Service for extradition back to the United States.
After arriving at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport, he was transported and booked into the Travis County Jail, where he will await further judicial proceedings.
The Department of Homeland Security filed an immigration detainer on Rios, a Colombian national with no legal status in the United States.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Panamanian authorities to secure the extradition of Ríos.
