Three sentenced to 20 years for Tren de Aragua kidnapping and torture in Denver

Three Venezuelan nationals have been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for the kidnapping and torture of a roommate in Denver. Darwin Veliz-Gonzalez, Jefferson Balza-Delfin, and Yender Enrique Campos-Malave were convicted of carrying out a ransom scheme directed by leaders of the violent gang Tren de Aragua (TdA).

Prosecutors stated the victim was targeted after his roommates discovered he and his father had ties to law enforcement in Venezuela. The victim was held captive for several days without sufficient food or water and subjected to various forms of abuse, including being strangled with rope, pistol-whipped, and having his head held in a bucket of water. The captors filmed the torture and sent the footage to the victim’s wife to demand ransom from his family in Venezuela.

The victim eventually escaped the residence and sought help at a police station, despite having lost a finger during the ordeal. Sentencing for a fourth defendant has been postponed.