Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, charged with kidnapping and robbing two U.S. soldiers after allegedly drugging them at a bar in Bogotá — and whose nickname is “Harry Potter” — was not able to cast the Expecto Patronum spell and ward off his prosecutors in a federal Miami court.
On Friday, Arango, a Colombian national, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. Army soldiers who were on temporary duty in Bogotá in March 2020.
Arango, 36, who pleaded guilty to the four counts in the indictment, including conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person, faced formidable odds to beat the prosecution team.
According to a factual proffer filed to the court on Friday and signed by Arango and his attorney MaeAnn Dunker, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez, and trial attorney Clayton O’Connor, the statement reflects what prosecutors would have been able to prove if the case had gone to trial.