Michael Sang Correa, a 46-year-old man from The Gambia, received a staggering 67-year sentence for his heinous acts of torture after a thorough investigation led by ICE Denver. On August 22, Correa was convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit torture and five counts of torture, including using molten plastic to burn his victims and ferociously beating them with an assortment of weapons.
Describing the severity of the crimes, ICE Homeland Security Investigations Denver Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen said, "Mr. Correa's crimes were barbaric and uncivilized; they have no place in the modern world." Cagen expressed his hope that "this sentence can bring some kind of closure for his victims and their families," as per ICE Homeland Security. The case set a precedent that Homeland Security Investigations will not relent in bringing individuals who commit such unspeakable acts to justice, he continued.
This investigation spanned international borders, with significant contributions from HSI agents in Senegal, staff from the U.S. Embassy in Banjul, The Gambia, and the FBI's legal attaché in Senegal. The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC), established in 2009, was crucial to the advancement of this case. The HRVWCC aims to locate, identify, and prosecute individuals involved in human rights violations, including persecution, war crimes, genocide, and other egregious acts, who seek to find refuge in the United States.
