A Colombian national pleaded guilty Wednesday to his role in kidnapping and assaulting two members of the U.S. military who were on temporary duty in Bogotá, Colombia.
According to court documents, Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, 47, of Bogotá, and his co-defendants targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogotá. The two victims, who were serving on orders in Colombia, went to an entertainment district in Bogotá to watch a soccer game on the evening of March 5, 2020.
They went to a pub, where one of Silva Ochoa’s co-conspirators incapacitated the victims by putting drugs, including benzodiazepines, in their drinks. Silva Ochoa’s co-conspirators then escorted the victims into a waiting car driven by Silva Ochoa, kidnapped them, and took their wallets, debit cards, credit cards, and cell phones.
Silva Ochoa and his co-conspirators used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money. The two victims lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated.
Pursuant to a plea agreement, Silva Ochoa pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Silva Ochoa was extradited in May from Chile to the United States, and he is the second co-defendant to plead guilty in this criminal scheme.
Co-defendant Arango Castellanos was extradited in May 2023 from Colombia to the United States, pleaded guilty in January to the charges in the indictment, and was sentenced in May to 48 years and nine months in prison.
Co-defendant Uribe Chiran was extradited in September from Colombia to the United States; she is currently scheduled for trial in February 2025.
