A jury in Colorado has convicted Michael Sang Correa, a Gambian national, on charges of torture related to acts committed in The Gambia in 2006. Correa was found guilty of participating in the torture of several victims, who authorities suspect were involved in a plot against The Gambia’s former President, Yahya Jammeh.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, commented on the conviction by saying, "Michael Sang Correa tried to evade responsibility for his crimes in The Gambia by coming to the United States and hiding his past. But we found him, we investigated him, and we prosecuted him." Galeotti emphasized the U.S. Department of Justice's commitment to pursuing those who commit violent crimes and human rights violations and added, "The lesson is: if you commit violent crimes [...] do not come to the United States."
Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell for the District of Colorado stated, "The torture inflicted by Michael Sang Correa and his co-conspirators is abhorrent." He praised the jurors and witnesses for their roles in the trial, stressing that the verdict demonstrates that individuals cannot escape their past crimes by seeking refuge in Colorado.
Steve Cagen, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations in Denver, stated that "Correa's crimes caught up with him today." He reiterated the agency's policy on human rights violators, declaring, "We have a zero-tolerance policy for human rights violators."
Evidence presented in court showed Correa, 46, was part of an armed unit called the "Junglers," which reported directly to President Jammeh. This unit was implicated in planning and executing acts of torture. Victim testimonies described severe torture methods, including burning with hot plastic, suffocation, electrocution, and physical assault, all orchestrated by Correa and his co-conspirators.
Correa entered the United States on a visa in December 2016, avoiding capture until 2019. He was indicted on torture charges in 2020. The court found Correa guilty on all counts, marking the first conviction of a non-U.S. citizen for torture in a federal court. He now faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge. The sentencing date is yet to be scheduled.
The case was investigated by the HSI Denver Field Office, supported by HSI agents in Senegal, personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Banjul, The Gambia, and the FBI Legal Attaché in Senegal. The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center also played a significant role in supporting the investigation.
Acting Principal Deputy Chief Christina Giffin and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of the Criminal Division, alongside Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Hindman and Laura Cramer-Babycz from the District of Colorado, prosecuted the case with help from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.
The public is encouraged to report information on former human rights violators potentially present in the U.S. by contacting the HSI tip line or through various other means provided by U.S. authorities.