Three Tren de Aragua members sentenced to 20 years for Denver kidnapping and torture plot
Venezuelan nationals targeted a roommate after discovering his family's law enforcement ties, demanding ransom via recorded torture.
Three Venezuelan nationals have been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for their roles in a brutal kidnapping and torture plot orchestrated by members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang in Denver. The victims were targeted after their roommates discovered their family's connections to law enforcement in Venezuela.
Darwin Veliz-Gonzalez, Jefferson Balza-Delfin, and Yender Enrique Campos-Malave each received the 20-year sentence from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. A fourth defendant's sentencing was postponed.
The victim, who had been renting a room in the Denver home, was held captive for several days. His captors deprived him of food and water, tied him up with rope, and subjected him to extreme abuse. According to prosecutors, the men repeatedly strangled him, held his head in a bucket of water, threatened him with a gun, and pistol-whipped him.
During the ordeal, the captors filmed the torture and sent the recordings to the victim's wife in Venezuela, demanding ransom. They also shared the footage with TdA leaders abroad, seeking guidance on the kidnapping. When the family did not pay, a gang leader suggested severing one of the victim's fingers to pressure them into sending money. The victim reported that Balza-Delfin used pliers to cut off his right pinky finger, an act that was also filmed.
Denver police were initially alerted to the situation on Oct. 16, 2024, after a welfare check was requested at the South Hazel Court residence. Officers conducted a search but did not find the victim, who was too afraid to reveal his presence. Following the police visit, three of the perpetrators fled the home, allowing the victim to escape.
The following morning, the victim went to a Denver police station, reported the kidnapping and assault, and presented his missing finger as evidence. Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas commended the victim for coming forward and stated his department's commitment to supporting all victims who report criminal activity, regardless of their immigration status.
Federal prosecutors also indicted Brawins Dominique Suarez Villegas, also known as "Chino San Vicente," for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and torture. Suarez Villegas is accused of participating in a broader TdA operation involving robbery, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering, and drug crimes that occurred between May 2024 and March 2025.
The FBI's Denver Field Office and the Denver Police Department led the investigation. FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski emphasized the bureau's efforts to dismantle the gang through its Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force.