Colombian Police Rule Out Extradition of American Involved in Child Sexual Exploitation

The Director of the Criminal Investigation and Interpol Directorate of Colombia (Dijin), Colonel Edwin Urrego Pedraza,has addressed the issue of the extradition of Timothy Alan Livingston, the American accused of child sexual exploitation involving two minors at a hotel in Medellin. During a press conference held on April 15th, the director ruled out the imminent extradition of the suspect.

Following the issuance of a Blue Notice by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) in conjunction with the Colombian National Police on April 9th to locate the American citizen, Colonel Urrego informed that currently there are no protocols in place to proceed with his extradition.

“We are engaging with the government of the United States, along with some interagency groups that collaborate with us here in Colombia, to determine the course of action because, as of now, there is no extradition agreement for American citizens,” remarked Urrego.

Additionally, the officer elucidated the rationale behind the absence of a red notice, symbolizing immediate arrest: “To issue a red notice, the requirements are more stringent. There are two situations: The first is when there is already a charging hearing against the person under investigation, and the second relates to when the person has already been convicted.”

Account of the child exploitation case involving American

The events unfolded around four o’clock in the morning on March 28th, when, bypassing security checks at the establishment’s entrance, the American managed to enter his room with two underage girls, aged 12 and 13. Following an anonymous call to the national police, the authorities arrived at the hotel and inspected the premises but found no evidence of the accused touching the minors, and both girls denied being touched. The 36-year-old suspect was detained for 12 hours but was released hours later, allowing him to return to his country on Monday, March 29th.

An anonymous statement from a worker reported the discovery of marijuana joints, remnants of Tussi (a drug containing codeine), and used condoms in the penthouse trash can. Despite authorities not examining the scene during their initial visit, cleaning staff cleared the area. Subsequent visits by authorities revealed no trace of the items, leading to a current investigation into the actions of the eight officers who conducted the inspection.

Latest details on the Colombian child exploitation case

Among the latest developments in the case, Mayor of Medellin Federico Gutierrez met last Thursday with the Acting Ambassador of the United States in Colombia, Francisco Palmieri, affirming that American investigators had arrived in the Antioquia capital to gather evidence and testimonies against Livingston. The Gotham Hotel has been permanently closed, and one of the two minors remaining under the care of the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) confirmed in recent days that there were indeed sexual acts with the American citizen.