A Colorado jury has convicted Michael Sang Correa, a Gambian national, on charges of torture for his involvement in abusive acts against several victims in The Gambia in 2006. The jury found that Correa, who served in a unit known as the "Junglers," participated in torturous activities, including beatings and burning, due to suspicions of a plot against then-President Yahya Jammeh.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, commented, "Michael Sang Correa tried to evade responsibility for his crimes in The Gambia by coming to the United States and hiding his past." He added, "If you do, the Department of Justice, together with its law enforcement partners, will leave no stone unturned to see that your crimes are exposed and justice is served."
U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell for the District of Colorado emphasized the impact of the verdict, stating, “Today’s verdict shows you can’t get away with coming to Colorado to hide from your past crimes."
The arrest and conviction resulted from a collaborative investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver and other agencies. Steve Cagen of HSI Denver remarked, “Correa chose the wrong country to try to escape from justice."
Evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Correa, along with co-conspirators, took part in torturing five victims following their abduction to Mile 2 Prison. These acts included beatings, suffocation, and electrocution, with victims testifying about the cruel methods Correa employed during their detention.
Correa entered the United States in 2016 and remained undetected until 2019. Charged with torture in 2020, he now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment for each torture count and conspiracy to commit torture. The court will decide on sentencing considering various statutory factors.
The HSI Denver Field Office led the investigation, supported by agents in Senegal, personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Banjul, and the FBI Legal Attaché in Senegal. The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center also played a significant role in the prosecution.
The prosecution team included lawyers from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the District of Colorado.
Authorities encourage the public to report information on human rights violators in the U.S. to ICE, reflecting ongoing efforts to address such cases internationally.