A Colombian national, Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the kidnapping and assault of two U.S. Army soldiers in Bogotá, Colombia. Silva Ochoa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person in December 2024. His accomplice, Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran, also pleaded guilty, though her sentencing is yet to be scheduled.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office release, the incident occurred on March 5, 2020, when the soldiers were targeted while on leave in a Bogotá entertainment district. After visiting a pub, the soldiers were drugged with benzodiazepines, which caused them to lose consciousness and become kidnapped. The attackers sought to steal valuables and financial information. Silva Ochoa and another accomplice made unauthorized transactions using the victims’ bank cards.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne emphasized the government's commitment to protecting service members both domestically and abroad, stating, "Members of our military, whether serving here or abroad, can count on this Department of Justice’s respect, support, and protection," in the same release.
The investigation involved collaboration between the FBI, Colombian, and Chilean law enforcement, which led to the extradition of the offenders to the U.S. Silva Ochoa was extradited from Chile in April 2024, while Uribe Chiran was extradited from Colombia in September 2024. Another co-defendant, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, was sentenced to 48 years after being extradited in May 2023. The case was noted for its successful international cooperation.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI’s Miami Field Office acknowledged the crucial role of international collaboration, emphasizing that the successful outcome of the investigation was made possible through strong cooperation with Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez, along with Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, along with legal attachés in Bogotá and Santiago, played critical roles in the case’s resolution.
