Colombian Ex-Cartel Member Fabio Ochoa Seeks Early Release From US Prison

Fabio Ochoa Vasquez, a former key figure in Colombia’s notorious Medellin cartel, is petitioning for an early release from a U.S. prison. Ochoa, 62, was a part of the Medellin cartel, which was heavily involved in cocaine trafficking in Florida during the 1980s.

Legal appeal for early prison release for Ochoa

Ochoa’s lawyer, Richard Klugh, has requested a federal judge to reduce his 30-year sentence by about five years. This request follows changes in federal sentencing guidelines. If granted, it would lead to Ochoa’s early release and deportation to Colombia. The U.S. attorney’s office in Miami has not yet responded, and a deadline for their decision has been set for May 1.

Background and legal proceedings

Ochoa, the youngest of three brothers, was involved in the Miami distribution center of the Medellin cartel, once led by Pablo Escobar. He faced multiple indictments in the U.S., including involvement in the killing of a Drug Enforcement Administration informant. Initially arrested in Colombia in 1990, Ochoa was extradited to the U.S. in 2001 and subsequently convicted in Miami. Unlike other defendants in the case who cooperated with the government and received lighter sentences, Ochoa opted for a trial, resulting in a 30-year sentence.

The argument for giving Ochoa an early release from prison hinges on the amount of cocaine directly linked to him, approximately 150 kilograms. Under revised sentencing guidelines, this amount suggests a sentence closer to 24 years. Ochoa has already served a significant portion of his sentence, both in the U.S. and in Colombia, where he was imprisoned for eight years before his extradition.

Family and life post-conviction

Ochoa, who has a family in Colombia, engaged in horse breeding after his initial release from prison in Colombia and before his extradition to the U.S. His lawyer contends that Ochoa has faced harsher punishment than others in the case, despite his lower level of involvement in the cartel’s activities.

This case highlights ongoing legal and diplomatic complexities surrounding former members of Colombia’s infamous drug cartels and their sentences in foreign jurisdictions, particularly in the United States.