Bolivian colonel convicted of extorting Miami Lakes businessman sentenced to three years

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Miami Herald

Posted on Friday, 05.23.14
Bolivian colonel convicted of extorting Miami Lakes businessman sentenced to three years

A former top cop in Bolivia is sentenced to three years in prison for shaking down a wealthy businessman in Miami Lakes.

By Jay Weaver
[e-mail]

Bolivia’s convicted anti-corruption chief did not testify at his Fort Lauderdale federal trial on extortion charges in March. But on Friday, former Bolivian National Police Col. Mario Fabricio Ormachea Aliaga delivered a long-winded plea for a short prison sentence.

It didn’t work. He got three years.

In an only-in-South Florida criminal case, Ormachea was convicted of extorting a rich Bolivian businessman living in Miami Lakes for $30,000 in exchange for making trumped-up charges against him disappear back home.

Ormachea’s wealthy target was Humberto Roca, former owner of Aerosur Airlines, who fled Bolivia for the United States in 2011 after he was charged with “illegal enrichment” in his native country.

“He tracked down Mr. Roca and he made these threats,” U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenbaum said, rejecting Ormachea’s bid for a 1 1/2-year sentence. “That is a crime in the United States. ... We don’t want that going on in the United States.”


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/23//v-fullstory/4133465/bolivian-colonel-convicted-of.html#storylink=cpy

[geek tragedy]

1. Somehow I'm sure Evo will find a way to

dishonestly portray this as US imperialism.

[JoeyT]

2. He screwed up in a big way.

Taking advantage of a rich person. We don't tolerate that kind of shit here. If he'd wanted to remain a free man, he'd have taken advantage of lots of poor people for a much larger amount of money.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Exactly! What was he thinking? Has he no respect for our traditions? n/t