A Colombian national, Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, has been extradited from Chile to the United States to face charges related to the kidnapping and assaulting of two U.S. Army soldiers in Bogota, Colombia. Silva Ochoa, also known as Tata, is set to make his initial court appearance today in Miami, Florida.
Court documents reveal that Silva Ochoa and his accomplices targeted and kidnapped the two soldiers in Bogota with the intention of robbing them. The victims were drugged at a pub in Bogota and then taken to a waiting car where they were robbed of their valuables including wallets, debit cards, credit cards, and cell phones. Silva Ochoa and his associates then used the stolen cards to make purchases and withdraw money. The victims regained consciousness the following day, having been separated by then.
Silva Ochoa faces charges including kidnapping an internationally protected person, conspiracy to kidnap, assaulting an internationally protected person, and conspiracy to assault. If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of life in prison. One of Silva Ochoa's co-defendants, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, had been previously extradited from Colombia and pleaded guilty to the charges.
The announcement of Silva Ochoa's extradition and charges was made by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole A. Argentieri, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office.
The FBI, along with various departments and offices within the Justice Department, played crucial roles in investigating the case, securing the arrest, and facilitating the extradition of Silva Ochoa. Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities were also acknowledged for their assistance in the matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida.
An indictment is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.