Denver man held by Tren de Aragua-linked roommates escaped and walked into a police station the next morning to show officers his missing finger

Three Venezuelan nationals have been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for their roles in a kidnapping and torture plot inside a Denver home. Darwin Veliz-Gonzalez, Jefferson Balza-Delfin, and Yender Enrique Campos-Malave were handed these sentences after federal prosecutors said they operated under the direction of Tren de Aragua leaders. All three pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, according to CBS News.

The ordeal began after the victim’s roommates discovered that both he and his father were police officers in Venezuela. The victim was renting a room in the home, and his captors stayed in contact with international Tren de Aragua leaders to coordinate their actions. During the days he was held captive, he was tied up with rope and given no food and very little water.

The captors recorded their actions to use as leverage against the man’s family. They filmed themselves strangling him with a rope until he nearly lost consciousness and repeatedly forced his head into a bucket of water for 30 seconds or longer. The videos were sent to the victim’s wife, and the men demanded a ransom from his family in Venezuela.

The kidnappers suggested cutting off one of his fingers

The violence escalated further as the family failed to meet the ransom demands. One gang leader suggested cutting off a finger to apply more pressure, and the victim was forced to listen as his captors discussed the plan. Balza-Delfin eventually used pliers to sever the victim’s right pinky finger, an act that was also captured on video.

Denver police visited the South Hazel Court home during the kidnapping following a welfare check request. Officers performed a limited visual search but failed to locate the victim, who was still inside the residence. However, he did not make himself known to the officers as he was terrified. Three of the men fled the residence after the police visit, and the victim found an opportunity to escape.

He walked into a Denver police station the following morning to report the assault and show officials the injury to his hand. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas praised the victim for coming forward. “I applaud the victim of this heinous crime,” Ron Thomas said. He extended that praise to all victims who report crimes regardless of their immigration status, and said those reports help police make arrests.

A federal grand jury has also indicted Brawins Dominique Suarez Villegas, also known as Chino San Vicente, for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping. He is also accused of being part of a larger Tren de Aragua operation that allegedly involved robbery and extortion, along with money laundering and drug crimes. However, the charges are only accusations, and he is presumed innocent.

U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly said the kidnapping showed how the gang had been operating in Colorado. “This is what Tren de Aragua was doing in our community,” Peter McNeilly said. He added that Colorado is safer as the three men will spend the next 20 years in federal prison, and that his office will keep pursuing every Tren de Aragua member in the state.

The FBI’s Denver Field Office and Denver police led the investigation. FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski said the bureau is working with domestic and international partners to disrupt and dismantle Tren de Aragua through its Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force. She added that the bureau remains committed to investigating violent transnational gangs.

The fourth defendant, Jose Daniel Pineda-Moreno, also pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, and his sentencing is now scheduled for December 10. Suarez Villegas should face his kidnapping and racketeering charges in a separate federal case.