A man in Denver was subjected to severe abuse by his roommates after they discovered his family’s connections to law enforcement. This grim situation escalated into a ransom scheme orchestrated by leaders of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, according to federal prosecutors.
The victim endured days of torture before he managed to escape and find help at a police station, where he arrived missing a finger. His captors had even documented the abuse, sending footage to his wife while demanding ransom from his family in Venezuela.
Three Venezuelan nationals—Darwin Veliz-Gonzalez, Jefferson Balza-Delfin, and Yender Enrique Campos-Malave—were each sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for their crimes, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. A fourth individual involved has yet to be sentenced.
The U.S. Attorney, Peter McNeilly, emphasized the impact of this gang on local communities, stating, “Colorado is safer with these violent criminals in federal prison for the next 20 years.” He also mentioned the ongoing efforts to eliminate every member of the gang from the state.
Prosecutors detailed how the victim had been renting a room when he was taken captive after his roommates learned of his and his father’s police background in Venezuela. They confined him with ropes, providing scant food and water.
During his captivity, the men filmed themselves abusing him—strangling him and submerging his head in water while threatening him with a gun. They sent these recordings to both his wife and TdA leaders abroad to solicit ransom payments from his family.
When the family failed to respond, one gang member proposed cutting off one of the victim’s fingers as leverage.
On October 16, 2024, police responded to a welfare check at the victim’s home. However, the victim was too frightened to reveal himself, leading to a limited search where no one was found by the officers. After their visit, three of the captors fled, allowing the victim to escape and report the horrific events to the police the following day.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas commended the victim for his bravery in coming forward, stating the importance of reporting crimes, regardless of one’s immigration status.
A separate indictment was issued against Brawins Dominique Suarez Villegas, known as “Chino San Vicente,” for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and torture, as prosecutors continued their efforts against the TdA gang.
The FBI’s Denver office, alongside local law enforcement, is actively investigating and seeking to dismantle the gang, highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by such criminal organizations.
